Kimberly Williams-Paisley Shares Emotional Memories of Diane Keaton After Her Death at 79 — “She Was So Full of Laughter and Love”
Actress Kimberly Williams-Paisley is remembering her longtime costar and friend Diane Keaton with love, gratitude, and laughter. The two shared the screen in the beloved Father of the Bride films, where Keaton played the warm, witty mother of Williams-Paisley’s character. Now, following Keaton’s death at age 79 in California on October 11, Williams-Paisley is reflecting on what it was like to work alongside one of Hollywood’s most cherished icons.
In an exclusive interview with PEOPLE, Williams-Paisley recalled first meeting Keaton — or rather, hearing her before seeing her. “I heard her laughter before I met her,” she said, smiling at the memory. “It was infectious. Everyone on set knew Diane had arrived because her laugh would fill the whole room. It made everything feel lighter.”
That laughter, Williams-Paisley said, was part of what made Keaton so unforgettable both on and off screen. “She had such a great sense of humor and was just full of laughter, and so generous with compliments,” she shared. “It’s really one of the best memories I’ll ever have in my life, getting to work with Diane.”
The two first appeared together in 1991’s Father of the Bride, alongside Steve Martin and Martin Short, and reunited again for its 1995 sequel. Nearly three decades later, the cast reprised their roles in Father of the Bride Part 3 (ish) — a short virtual reunion filmed during the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the distance, Williams-Paisley said Keaton made everyone feel close again, just like she always had.
“I remember after we did Father of the Bride (3ish), she asked for everyone’s phone number,” Williams-Paisley recalled. “Then she called every single person that worked on it and told them what a great job they did. She was just very giving like that. It was something so small, but so her — thoughtful, kind, and completely genuine.”
For Williams-Paisley, those gestures captured exactly who Diane Keaton was — an actress whose heart was just as remarkable as her talent. “She cared about people,” she said softly. “She had this ability to make you feel seen and appreciated, no matter who you were. I’ll never forget that.”
Keaton’s ability to connect with others went far beyond the screen. Over her five-decade career, she earned an Academy Award for Annie Hall, starred in The Godfather trilogy, Something’s Gotta Give, Baby Boom, and countless other beloved films. Yet to those who knew her best, her greatest gift was how she made people feel — loved, understood, and inspired.
Williams-Paisley described her as “one of those rare people who made work feel like family.” Even during long shooting days, Keaton kept spirits high with her humor and warmth. “She was always laughing,” Williams-Paisley said. “Even if things went wrong, she’d find something funny about it. She had that ability to make everything okay.”
As fans around the world mourn the loss of Diane Keaton, her Father of the Bride family joins them — remembering the woman whose laughter lit up movie sets and whose kindness left a lasting mark. “She was one of a kind,” Williams-Paisley said. “There will never be another Diane Keaton.”
