Over the weekend, the legendary Diane Keatondied at the age of 79. Known for her work in iconic movies like The Godfather trilogy, her Academy Award-winning performance in Annie Hall, and countless rom-coms like Something’s Gotta Give, The First Wives Club, and more, Diane was a beloved actor who touched the lives of so many people.
Shortly after news broke of her sudden death, fans, celebrities, former costars, and more took to social media to share how much they would miss Diane and how her work and mentorship touched their lives.
While Diane had starred in numerous movies alongside many beloved costars, one of her closest friends was Steve Martin, who costarred with her in Nancy Meyers’s Father of the Bride and Father of the Bride Part II as George and Nina Banks, respectively.
And while audiences have continued to love Diane and Steve in Father of the Bride since it premiered in 1991, their friendship remained off-screen as well, with many now realizing how long they’d actually known each other following her death.
On Sunday, Steve took to Instagram to share a remarkable piece of memorabilia, posting a Playbill from a Santa Ana College production of Carousel. In the program, he circled his name as part of the “stage & building crew” and Diane’s name next to Carrie Pipperidge, one of the lead characters in the musical. Born Diane Hall, Diane changed her last name to her mother’s birth name when registering with Actors’ Equity, as “Diane Hall” was already taken by someone in the union.
Both Steve and Diane attended Santa Ana College, with Diane later attending Orange Coast College before droppingout to pursue acting full-time in New York City. It’s there that she began performing in nightclubs and singing, with some of her original acts even appearing in Annie Hall.
Steve simply captioned the post: “This playbill is from a 1964 college production of Carousel. Diane ‘Hall’ (Keaton) is the lead; I’m a stage hand,” with many taking to the comments, shocked to find out they’d known each other for over 60 years.
One popular comment reads, “This must be the back story of how the Banks’ met.” With another user writing, “I didn’t realize you guys went that far back. So sorry for your loss. She was always one of my favorites and I hate that she’s gone.”
Diane was also incredibly close with Martin Short, who starred in both Father of the Bride movies as Franck Eggelhoffer alongside Diane and Steve. Of course, Steve and Martin are best friends, having appeared in numerous projects together over the years, including several stand-up shows.
Shortly after her death, a quote from her Interview magazine profile in 2021 began circulating online. It included Martin asking Diane, “Who’s sexier, me or Steve Martin?” To which Diane replied, “I mean, you’re both idiots.”
Steve even reposted the quote to his own Instagram, saying, “Don’t know who first posted this, but it sums up our delightful relationship with Diane.” Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who starred as Annie Banks in Father of the Bride, commented, writing, “I can absolutely hear her saying that. 😂.”
In the same Interview magazine article, Steve asked Diane, “Who is the most unpleasant actor you’ve ever worked with—besides Marty and me?” With Diane saying, “Well, obviously, there will never be anybody who will trouble and bother me as much as you and Marty. But I’m not going to answer that question, because that would hurt somebody’s feelings. Who is the worst? It’s not either of you.”
Another showcase of their lasting friendship that resurfaced this past weekend was when Steve and Martin were on hand to tribute Diane in 2017 when she received the AFI Life Achievement Award. The duo sang “The Way You Look Tonight,” which was featured in Father of the Bride.
Alongside the Instagram tributes, Steve and Martin were also doing a show in Las Vegas together over the weekend when news broke of Diane’s passing. According to audience members, they raised a glass to Diane as a photo of the late icon was projected on a screen behind them: “They came back for a quick ‘encore’…. a toast, to the amazing Diane Keaton.”
With everyone remembering (or discovering) Diane, Steve, and Martin’s long friendship following her death, many also couldn’t help but wonder what could’ve been, with several fans pointing out how great she would’ve been alongside them in Only Murders in the Building. One viral tweet reads, “I’m gonna be real with you, I was convinced Diane Keaton would join Only Murders in the Building in the show’s final season one day, reuniting with both Steve and Martin. #RIP.”
Personally, Father of the Bride is one of my all-time favorite movies, and now I’ll have a touching new perspective when I rewatch it, knowing how close Diane, Steve, and Martin were in real life.
Our hearts go out to Diane’s friends, family, and anyone touched by her greatness. ❤️
