What Diane Keaton Shared About Her Health Before Death

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Content warning: This story discusses eating disorders.

Diane Keaton maintained a mostly private life before her passing.

Diane Keaton, the actress known for *Something’s Gotta Give*, passed away in California at the age of 79, her family announced. Although she hadn’t shared any recent health problems publicly, she had previously spoken about her lifelong struggles with cancer and bulimia.

Her famous hats weren’t just a style choice—she always wore them to protect her skin, especially after being diagnosed with skin cancer when she was 21.

She told the *Los Angeles Times* in 2015 that skin cancer runs in her family. She recalled her Aunt Martha losing her nose to the disease, and both her father and brother also having it. Because of this family history, she emphasizes the importance of wearing sunscreen, explaining that skin cancer can be a difficult disease to deal with.

Keaton, whose cause of death remains unknown, began prioritizing skincare later in life.

She confessed that she wasn’t very careful when she was younger. She didn’t bother learning about skincare or protecting herself from the sun, which she now realizes was a mistake. It’s something she’s dealt with throughout her life, and she didn’t begin to prioritize sun care until she reached her 40s.

Even after successfully fighting basal cell carcinoma in her twenties, she later developed squamous cell cancer. It required two surgeries to remove, according to the New York Times.

In addition to her fight with cancer, Diane Keaton has also publicly discussed her struggle with bulimia.

When she was younger and auditioning for a Broadway role, she was asked to lose ten pounds, which made her start to feel insecure about her body.

In a 2014 interview with Dr. Oz, she explained that she simply gave in to her cravings, leading her to identify as an addict. She stated she’s always been prone to addiction and continues to be in recovery.

In addition to her fight with cancer, Diane Keaton has also publicly discussed her struggle with bulimia.

When she was younger and auditioning for a Broadway role, she was asked to lose ten pounds, which made her start to feel insecure about her body.

In a 2014 interview with Dr. Oz, she explained that she simply gave in to her cravings, and this led to addiction. She stated she’s a recovering addict, and will always struggle with addictive tendencies.

The actor from *The Family Stone* used to eat an astonishing 20,000 calories daily, then force himself to vomit. He described a typical meal as including a bucket of chicken, multiple orders of fries with both blue cheese and ketchup, a couple of frozen TV dinners, a quart of soda, large amounts of candy, an entire cake, and three banana cream pies.

Keaton eventually got into recovery for her eating disorder.

Someone suggested I might be struggling with my mental health, so I started seeing a therapist. I went five days a week.

Although Diane Keaton initially wasn’t truthful with her doctor, she later opened up about her difficulties. Keaton adopted her daughter, Dexter, now 29, and her son, Duke, now 25, when she was in her 50s.

In her 2011 book, *Then Again*, she wrote that she has no secrets and feels good about being open. She sees herself as connected to others—both women and men—who have struggled with eating disorders, feeling a sense of solidarity with them.

See more of her life in photos.

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2025-10-12 00:17