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The death of Diane Keaton this past weekend shocked the moviegoing world. When legends who have left the public eye or dealt with illness pass away, there’s a sort of resigned expectation, but that wasn’t the case with Keaton, who worked all the way to the end before dying at 79. You can’t write film history without writing about Keaton, one of the stars of two of the most important American films of all time in Annie Hall and The Godfather. And they proved just the tip of the iceberg for a truly underrated performer who amassed over 75 credits from 1970 to 2024. We highlighted ten of her roles below, with details for where you can watch them.
Annie Hall (1977)
Woody Allen wrote the titular character in his Best Picture–winning comedy for Keaton, who had appeared memorably in his 1968 play Play It Again, Sam and his films Sleeper and Love and Death. It was this 1977 film that proved Keaton’s range as she went from one of the most acclaimed dramas of the ’70s just five years earlier in The Godfather to this comedy classic. Keaton is absolutely delightful in this game-changing romantic comedy, one that took the genre and its characters so seriously that they felt real. On Tubi (for free), Prime Video, and MGM+.
Baby Boom (1987)
Diane Keaton’s most underrated performance came in this 1987 comedy co-written by the legendary Nancy Meyers (who features in this list a few times). Keaton takes on a role that could have been all cliché — that of a new mother trying to balance a demanding job with caring for a 14-month-old — and imbues it with such relatable honesty. That was one of her greatest strengths: her ability to take an archetypal role and make it feel genuine in ways that other performers would never even consider. On Tubi (for free), The Roku Channel (for free), and MGM+.
The Family Stone (2005)
Diane Keaton made a lot of family dramedies in the ’90s and ’00s, but this is one of the most beloved for a reason. It’s a Christmas movie about the titular family that stars Sarah Jessica Parker, Dermot Mulroney, Luke Wilson, Claire Danes, Craig T. Nelson, and Rachel McAdams, but Keaton’s role as the Stone matriarch really grounds the piece. She was so good at inviting viewers into strangers’ homes in a way that felt true because we felt like we knew the characters she played. On Prime Video.
Father of the Bride (1991)
Charlie Shyer director and co-writer Nancy Meyers reunited with their Baby Boom star for a remake that launched a franchise. Another take on the 1950 film with Spencer Tracy and Elizabeth Taylor, this Gen-X classic stars Steve Martin as the title character and Diane Keaton as the “Mother of the Bride.” It was such a hit and has become such an annual watch that it got a 1995 sequel (that also co-stars Keaton) and a 2022 remake. On Hulu and Disney+.
The First Wives Club (1996)
Director Hugh Wilson was going for a bit of that 9 to 5 energy when he cast three living legends to play a trio of divorcées who set out for vengeance on the men who wronged them. Keaton fits perfectly next to a pair of other ’70s icons in Bette Midler and Goldie Hawn. When it was released in 1996, it became a huge hit, making over $180 million worldwide by targeting an underserved demographic onscreen. It’s credited with helping boost all three of its stars to comebacks after years of declining roles. On Pluto TV (for free) and Kanopy.
The Godfather (1972)
One of the most acclaimed and influential films of all time often gets praised for the work of its male Hollywood icons like Al Pacino and Marlon Brando, but it’s Diane Keaton who gives this franchise its beating heart. As Kay, Keaton understands how to play a woman who knows the real Michael Corleone, the one whose heart still beats as he grows colder in his role as a mafia don. The look on her face in the final scene is a master class in itself. On VOD.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar (1977)
Released the same year as Annie Hall, this excellent thriller sometimes gets overlooked in Keaton’s filmography, but it’s a must-see. Based on the 1975 novel of the same name by Judith Rossner about the 1973 murder of Roseann Quinn, it’s the story of a schoolteacher looking for love in a major city but finding only true horror, culminating in a sequence of shocking violence. It also served as the launching pad for Richard Gere, LeVar Burton, Tom Berenger, and Brian Dennehy. It’s one of her most compelling dramatic performances. On VOD.
Marvin’s Room (1996)
Leonardo DiCaprio called Diane Keaton “one of a kind” because of the experience he had as a young man working with the Oscar winner on this 1996 tearjerker. Based on the excellent 1990 play of the same name, this drama stars Keaton as a woman dying of leukemia in a film that also features Meryl Streep and Robert De Niro. It was Keaton’s third of four Oscar nominations for Best Actress. On PlutoTV (for free) and Kanopy.
Reds (1981)
Warren Beatty co-wrote and directed Diane Keaton to her second Oscar nomination as activist Louise Bryant opposite Jack Nicholson as Eugene O’Neill. The story of the October Revolution unfolds in a remarkably ambitious 195-minute epic that gracefully blends the personal and the political. It was nominated for Best Picture, Director, and all four acting categories, becoming one of the most critically acclaimed dramas of its era. On Pluto TV (for free) and Kanopy.
Something’s Gotta Give (2003)
Diane Keaton reunited with Nancy Meyers for this comedy, and this time the rom-com queen was behind the camera too. She also reunited with Reds co-star Jack Nicholson in a story of people finding love later in life and learning again that opposites always attract. It’s a great case of two iconic performers leaning into what people like about them: Nicholson’s playful wit and Keaton’s charming brilliance. It was also a huge box-office hit, making over $250 million around the world and landing Keaton her final Oscar nod. She delivers a performance, tears and all, that makes your bad day better after watching it. On VOD.
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