Steve Martin shares a cherished memory of Diane Keaton after her passing at 79.
Martin, now 80, took to Instagram on October 12 to post an image of a playbill from Santa Ana College’s 1964 rendition of Carousel. Notably, Keaton’s name was underlined among the leading actors, although she used her father’s last name, Diane Hall. (She adopted her mother’s maiden name upon joining the Actors’ Equity Association due to an existing member with the name Diane Hall.)
In another section of the playbill, Martin’s name appears amongst the building crew.
“Here’s a playbill from a college production of Carousel in 1964,” Martin captioned. “Diane ‘Hall’ (Keaton) is the star; I’m just a stage hand.”
Following the confirmation of Keaton’s passing on October 11, both actors reminisced about their time at the southern California college in the ‘60s. They later starred together in the beloved films as George and Nina Banks in Father of the Bride (1991) and its sequel Father of the Bride: Part II (1995). In 2020, they reunited for the Netflix special Father of the Bride: Part III (ish).
Fans expressed their admiration for Martin’s post, drawing parallels between the playbill and How I Met Your Mother, while others referred to it as the backstory of George and Nina’s relationship.
“This could very well be the origin story of how the Banks met. 🏛️,” one commenter mused.
“This is perhaps my favorite tribute to her,” observed another.
“How wonderful to have preserved this cherished piece of the start of such an accomplished life. ❤️,” added a third.
In addition to the playbill, Martin also posted a nostalgic photograph of Keaton on X, along with a quote from her iconic film Annie Hall released in 1977: “La dee da, la dee da.”
“Loved!,” Martin reminisced about his dear friend.
He went further to share a screenshot from Keaton’s 2021 feature in Interview magazine where she answered queries from “25 notable friends and fans.” The screenshot revealed a playful question from Martin Short, co-star of the Father of the Bride films.
“Who is sexier, me or Steve Martin?” asked Short, who is now 75.
Keaton’s witty reply was, “I mean, you’re both idiots.”
In his post caption, Martin remarked, “Unsure who originally shared this, but it perfectly captures our wonderful bond with Diane.”
During a live comedy performance in Las Vegas, both Martin and Short honored Keaton by displaying her picture and making a toast to the late actress, according to a fan report on X.
A representative for Keaton verified that the Book Club actress passed away in California on October 11.
“Currently, there are no more details available, and her family has requested privacy during this profoundly sad time,” the spokesperson stated to People.
The cause of her death has not been determined yet. However, the Los Angeles Fire Department reported responding to a 911 call at Keaton’s residence at 8:08 a.m., leading to the transport of a 79-year-old woman to a nearby hospital. Sources later revealed to TMZ that the individual was indeed Keaton.
