Monday Muses: Diane Keaton

Whilst driving around day-dreaming about the next muse to feature it dawned on me that the answer was right there in my car… sorta kinda.  You see, I’ve been listening to Diane Keaton’s latest book, “Let’s Just Say It Wasn’t Pretty”  because I spend a lot of time in the car (see: LA living) and audiobooks are a way to switch things up... anyhow… Voila! One of the quintessential muses ripe for the posting!

Something about Diane has always appealed to me.  Literally, since I was a very small child - probably watching "Baby Boom" with my mother or sneaking glimpses of Woody Allen films like "Love and Death", in no way capable of processing the plot yet. What ever my first encounter was it stuck.  Then at age 14 I fell in love with the movie “Anne Hall”  and subsequently got sucked down the Woody Allen movie rabbit hole never to return. 

Diane and Woody’s partnership is infamous and complex.   In truth, Woody (more or less) based the character of Anne Hall on Diane (who’s real last name was Hall and often went by the nickname “Annie”).  The screenplay was, albeit very loosely, based on their romantic relationship which had ended a few years prior.  She obviously had a huge effect on him. 

  

Cut to Diane winning the Oscar for best actress, solidifying her place as a movie star.  The duo went on to make several more films together.  It is still clear, when you hear one talk about the other, that they have great respect and admiration for each other.  Despite it all they remain dear friends.

*please note the Liv Ullman reference -throw back to our first Monday Muse. full-circle.

Diane is the master of self-deprecating humor but behind that facade is an incredible woman.  She is also a director (*a little known fact for Twin Peaks fans, she directed an episode!), a writer, a photographer, an interior designer, an aspiring singer (although she was in the original Broadway cast of HAIR so I don't know if she can use the word "aspiring"?), a fashion icon and a single mother.

She never married but she had some great romances back in the day with men like Al Pacino and Warren Beatty (meow).  Not bad for someone someone who will outright say that she was never beautiful and seems to be on the fence about having any talent.

Suggested viewing:  Annie Hall, Sleeper, Reds, Looking for Mr. Goodbar.

For nostalgia sake: "Baby Boom" and why not throw "Father of The Bride Part One" in for good measure!

I should mention the Diane is a Pinterest fanatic and an active Twitter-er - totally worth following both!