Bette Midler shared heartfelt memories of her late First Wives Club co-star Diane Keaton following her passing.
During her appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, October 14, Midler opened up about her bond with Keaton.
“She was truly a genius,” Midler reflected. “There was something utterly magical about her… she was entirely her own unique person and inimitable. She was so completely authentic.”
Midler confessed that she felt intimidated by Keaton before they began their friendship alongside Goldie Hawn while filming The First Wives Club, which hit theaters in 1996. “I vividly remember our first meetup with Goldie⊠I had never worked with or met them previously, and sitting at that round table in a cafĂ©, I felt so intimidated,” Midler shared with Stephen Colbert. “I was relatively new to it all. They started sharing stories, and honestly, Iâve never laughed harder in my life. It was truly brilliant and magical.”
This appearance followed Midler’s heartfelt tribute to Keaton on Instagram after the news of Keaton’s death at age 79 on Saturday, October 11.
“The brilliant, beautiful, one-of-a-kind Diane Keaton has passed away,” Midler wrote with an accompanying photo. “Words cannot express how deeply saddened I am. She was amusing, a true original, and devoid of the competitiveness one might associate with such a star. What you saw was truly who she was⊠oh, la, la!”
Midler and Keaton’s friendship flourished alongside Hawn, 79, Maggie Smith, and Sarah Jessica Parker in the film The First Wives Club.
In a heartfelt tribute, Hawn also shared her own emotional post about Keaton on Instagram on Saturday.
“Diane, we were not prepared to lose you. Youâve left us a trail of fairy dust filled with light and memories beyond imagination,” her tribute stated. “How do we say farewell? What words suffice when your heart aches? You have always shunned praise, so humble, and now you canât tell me to âshut up,â darling. There has been, and will be, no one like you.”
Hawn added, “You captured the hearts of millions and shared your brilliance through films that made us laugh and weep in ways only you could achieve. I was fortunate to create First Wives Club with you; our mornings began with coffee in the makeup trailer, filled with laughter and jokes, right through to the last shooting day. It was a thrilling journey of love.”
Hawn mentioned that she and Keaton had promised to grow old together and possibly live together with their friends someday.
“We didnât get to live together, but we did grow older together,” Hawn concluded. “Who knows⊠perhaps in the next life. Shine your fairy dust up there, my dear. I will miss you greatly. My love also extends to your wonderful children, Dex and Duke. I love you.”
Although the official cause of Keatonâs passing was not disclosed immediately, a friend commented to People that Keatonâs health had deteriorated unexpectedly, leaving many who cared for her heartbroken.
âIn her final weeks, she was surrounded solely by her closest family who chose to maintain privacy,â her friend remarked. âEven long-time friends were not fully aware of the situation.â
Before her passing, Keaton shared what she cherished most in life during a conversation with Carol Kane.
“I value a strong friendship, like the one weâve had for so many years,â she expressed in Interview Magazine in June 2021. âI love walking my dog. These are the things that bring me joy. I genuinely appreciate nature. I enjoy exploring California and driving to Arizona. My favorite part of life is simply being able to see. Itâs just truly astounding.
