Diane Keaton has been the love of my life all of my life. She just has. It was partly her pairing with Woody Allen, of course, but it was who she became that interested me. Who she is continues to interest me, probably many others too. Now she’s written a memoir which I cannot wait to dig into. As a Keaton-phile, I am so interested to read about the details of her evolution. She’s so bright, so curious, so funny. She’s Annie Hall. And always will be. So I dressed like her in high school. I wish I could dress like her now but she’s way way out of my league. I used to pass her on Sunset when I was working at UCLA and she was dropping off her kid. I’d pass her — me in my Toyota, she in her Mercedes SUV, lined face that has never gone under the needle or knife, driving not crazily like Annie did (“Is this a sandwich or what?”) but focused and intent. I used to pass her and think “there goes the woman I love.” I know, I’m a tad psychotic when it comes to Ms. Keaton. Here is an excerpt from her book – but this wonderful story about her has just been published in Vogue (thanks to @lePuu on Twitter for the link). I love what she says about Woody. There is so much about him his fans don’t know.
During rehearsal, I fell for Allan as scripted but for Woody as well. How could I not? I was in love with him before I knew him. He was Woody Allen. Our entire family used to gather around the TV set and watch him on Johnny Carson. He was so hip, with his thick glasses and cool suits.
But it was his manner that got me, his way of gesturing, his hands, his coughing and looking down in a self-deprecating way while he told jokes like “I couldn’t get a date for New Year’s Eve so I went home and I jumped naked into a vat of Roosevelt dimes.” He was even better-looking in real life. He had a great body, and he was physically very graceful.
As in the play, we became friends. I was a good audience. I laughed in between the jokes. I think he liked that, even though he would always remind me I wouldn’t know a joke if it hit me in the face. He took me to see Ingmar Bergman’s Persona and Luis Buñuel’s The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie. On Madison Avenue we looked in the windows of Serge Sabarsky’s gallery of German Expressionist paintings. We walked to the Museum of Modern Art and saw the Diane Arbus exhibition curated by John Szarkowski. Woody got used to me. He couldn’t help himself; he loved neurotic girls.
Awww, Sasha. I love it when you fangirl. And Keaton is certainly worthy.
Awww, Sasha. I love it when you fangirl. And Keaton is certainly worthy.
Keaton is a true icon.I just wish she would take on better roles…I spend a lot of time..thinking what if she played against type or was given more challenging roles ( witness “marvin’s room” or “shoot the moon” )…Her self mocking and willingness to play “Annie Hall” all the time has limited her somewhat.. but… she is a true acting legend and one who is always interesting to watch regardless.
Keaton is a true icon.I just wish she would take on better roles…I spend a lot of time..thinking what if she played against type or was given more challenging roles ( witness “marvin’s room” or “shoot the moon” )…Her self mocking and willingness to play “Annie Hall” all the time has limited her somewhat.. but… she is a true acting legend and one who is always interesting to watch regardless.
I’m also a fan of Manhattan Murder Mystery, a film that got short shrift when it premiered — presumably because it came on the heels of the Woody/Mia/Soon Yi scandal. Apparently Keanton replaced Farrow at the last minute because of the rift. I thought she did a great job.
People love to love her, it seems — even forgiving her for appearances in films that are . . . shall we say . . . a bit cheesy.
I’m also a fan of Manhattan Murder Mystery, a film that got short shrift when it premiered — presumably because it came on the heels of the Woody/Mia/Soon Yi scandal. Apparently Keanton replaced Farrow at the last minute because of the rift. I thought she did a great job.
People love to love her, it seems — even forgiving her for appearances in films that are . . . shall we say . . . a bit cheesy.
I hope this is as good a read as it should be, given DK’s great career and her intelligence, but I find celebrity memoirs of late getting very lazy surprisingly short. But I imagine that is the editors whittling things down for today’s short attention spans. Anyway a singular artist and I look forward to reading whatever she wants to share with us.
I hope this is as good a read as it should be, given DK’s great career and her intelligence, but I find celebrity memoirs of late getting very lazy surprisingly short. But I imagine that is the editors whittling things down for today’s short attention spans. Anyway a singular artist and I look forward to reading whatever she wants to share with us.
I also immediately LOL’d at the sandwich. So easy to picture in my mind. *sigh* Can we freeze him? I also love MMM best. Only they could be that comfortable with each other and that funny at the same time. I love when they’re in the elevator. LMAO
I gotta read this.
I also immediately LOL’d at the sandwich. So easy to picture in my mind. *sigh* Can we freeze him? I also love MMM best. Only they could be that comfortable with each other and that funny at the same time. I love when they’re in the elevator. LMAO
I gotta read this.
A true acting legend. Tis a shame that women like her and Glenn Close don’t get as much work in their golden years.
A true acting legend. Tis a shame that women like her and Glenn Close don’t get as much work in their golden years.
Can’t believe you mentioned ‘the sandwich’ in Annie Hall. It’s one of my first memories of childhood laughing so hard and indicated my sense of humor would be random/offbeat. Still cracks me up every time!
Can’t believe you mentioned ‘the sandwich’ in Annie Hall. It’s one of my first memories of childhood laughing so hard and indicated my sense of humor would be random/offbeat. Still cracks me up every time!
I saw her in New York on University Place a couple years ago. It was late November. She was wearing all cream: wool coat, hat, gloves, turtleneck. It’s New York so you play it cool. But I lost my shit inside. She’s an iconoclast.
I saw her in New York on University Place a couple years ago. It was late November. She was wearing all cream: wool coat, hat, gloves, turtleneck. It’s New York so you play it cool. But I lost my shit inside. She’s an iconoclast.
@ Adam Lewis,
this
“I Love her in Manhattan Murder Mystery (Also my favourite Woody Allen film!)”
is one of the best things I’ve seen on the internet in the past couple of months!!!!
I find her impossibly funny in that film and the film ROCKS! The scene when she’s drinking wine and accidentally spotting from the window the supposedly dead lady in a bus is priceless. Where’s her Oscar nomination for it? Where?
@ Adam Lewis,
this
“I Love her in Manhattan Murder Mystery (Also my favourite Woody Allen film!)”
is one of the best things I’ve seen on the internet in the past couple of months!!!!
I find her impossibly funny in that film and the film ROCKS! The scene when she’s drinking wine and accidentally spotting from the window the supposedly dead lady in a bus is priceless. Where’s her Oscar nomination for it? Where?
Perfect Birthday present for myself. What a treat. I hope is as intimate and personal as Liv Ullman’s Changing. Every director’s muse MUST always pen a memoir.
Perfect Birthday present for myself. What a treat. I hope is as intimate and personal as Liv Ullman’s Changing. Every director’s muse MUST always pen a memoir.
I Love her in Manhattan Murder Mystery (Also my favourite Woody Allen film!)
Would love to see her and Jeff Goldblum do a scene together! They have a similar acting style I think. Like they’re just making up the words as they go.
Love her!
I Love her in Manhattan Murder Mystery (Also my favourite Woody Allen film!)
Would love to see her and Jeff Goldblum do a scene together! They have a similar acting style I think. Like they’re just making up the words as they go.
Love her!