Diane Ladd’s Cause of Death Revealed

Two weeks after the death of Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd at age 89, the cause has come to light.

On Monday, a death certificate, as reported by People Magazine, indicated that Ladd succumbed to acute chronic hypoxic respiratory failure.

Respiratory failure, as described by the Cleveland Clinic, happens when lungs can’t exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide effectively. In cases labeled “acute” or “chronic,” it suggests that a long-standing breathing issue has suddenly worsened.

The actress had been battling interstitial lung disease, which develops over many years, and esophageal dysmotility, a condition that disrupts normal movement in the esophagus. Interstitial lung disease leads to lung scarring, while esophageal dysmotility affects swallowing.

According to her death certificate, Ladd was cremated on November 10.

On November 3, her daughter Laura Dern announced her mother’s passing in a heartfelt statement. “My great hero and profound talent, my mother, passed by me this morning at her home in Ojai, California,” Dern shared.

“She was the best daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist, and empathetic spirit that only a dream could create,” she continued. “We were blessed to have her. She is now flying with the angels.”

Rudd was renowned for her roles in films like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Wild at Heart, and Rambling Rose, all of which garnished her Oscar nominations. Her television work includes appearances on Naked City, Perry Mason, and Mr. Novak, leading to three Emmy nominations.

She made her film debut in the 1966 movie Wild Angels, alongside Bruce Dern, her first husband. Her last appearance was in the 2022 film Gigi & Nate.

Laura Dern had co-starred with Ladd in Wild at Heart, among other films.

Diane Ladd was married three times. She wed Bruce Dern in 1960, with whom she had two daughters, Diane and Laura. Tragically, Diane passed away at just 18 months due to a swimming pool accident.

Following her marriage to Bruce, she married William A. Shea Jr. from 1969 to 1976, and later Robert Charles Hunter, who passed away earlier this year.

In 2018, Ladd was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a serious lung illness. After this diagnosis, Laura and Diane regularly took walks together, documenting their discussions in their memoir, Honey, Baby, Mine: A mother and daughter talk about life, death, love (and banana pudding).

After Ladd’s death, Bruce Dern expressed his admiration for her. “Diane was a wonderful actress,” he remarked. “She lived a good life. She saw everything as it was. She was a great teammate to her fellow actors, funny, smart, and kind.” He added that the most important aspect for him was how wonderful she was as a mother to their daughter.

Diane Ladd also leaves behind two other children, Ellery Walker and Jaya Harper, whom Laura shares with her former husband, musician Ben Harper.