Diane Ladd’s Best Movies, Ranked — And Exactly How Old She Was in Each
Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd has died at 89 at her California home, daughter Laura Dern confirmed; she was surrounded by loved ones. No cause of death was disclosed.
Diane Ladd has died at 89. Laura Dern confirmed her mom passed on November 3, 2025, at home in California with family. No cause of death has been shared. A giant, gone. To remember what made her so good for so long, here are the films that show her range, the parts she played, and where you can watch them now.
Seven films that capture Diane Ladd, with ages, roles, and where to watch
- Rambling Rose (1991 - 55 years)
Set in 1930s Georgia, it follows Rose, a teenager taken in by the Hillyer family to keep her from a rougher path. Ladd plays Mrs. Hillyer, the household matriarch who brings a sharp, compassionate steadiness to the chaos Rose stirs up. A quiet performance that ends up doing a lot of heavy lifting.
Where to watch: Kanopy (USA)
Rotten Tomatoes: critics 100% | audience 57% - Chinatown (1974 - 38 years)
The classic starts as a murder case and unspools into all-timer corruption and deceit. Ladd is Ida Sessions, the woman who impersonates a client and hires Jake Gittes under false pretenses. It is a blink-and-you-miss turn that basically lights the fuse for the whole movie.
Where to watch: Paramount+ (USA)
Rotten Tomatoes: critics 98% | audience 93% - Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974 - 38 years)
A newly widowed mom drives west, chasing a singing career and a reset. Martin Scorsese directs, which still surprises people who only associate him with gangsters. Ladd is Flo, the brash, funny, ride-or-die waitress who stands by Alice. This one earned Ladd an Oscar nomination and put a lot of folks on notice.
Where to watch: Rent or buy on Apple TV (USA)
Rotten Tomatoes: critics 92% | audience 81% - Daddy and Them (2001 - 65 years)
A married couple heads home after a relative is jailed for attempted murder, and the visit detonates every simmering family issue imaginable. Ladd plays Jewel, a no-nonsense matriarch who somehow both steadies and stirs the pot. It is messy, prickly, human stuff.
Where to watch: Amazon (USA)
Rotten Tomatoes: critics 86% | audience 54% - Come Early Morning (2006 - 70 years)
A 30-something woman self-medicates with booze and one-night stands until a new relationship and old family fractures force a reckoning. Ladd is the grandmother, grounding the film with warmth that never tips into sappy.
Where to watch: Prime Video (USA)
Rotten Tomatoes: critics 84% | audience 49% - Joy (2015 - 80 years)
The true story of Joy Mangano, the Miracle Mop, and the bruising ride through business and TV retail. Ladd plays Joy's grandmother and serves as the film's narrator, the one person who never stops believing in her. Simple device, effective heartbeat.
Where to watch: Starz (USA)
Rotten Tomatoes: critics 61% | audience 57% - The Cemetery Club (1992 - 56 years)
Three friends meet at their husbands' graves, then at the deli to figure out what comes next. Ladd's Lucille is the bold one, nudging the others toward the living, and stealing more than a few scenes while she is at it.
Where to watch: Hoopla
Rotten Tomatoes: critics 57% | audience 29%
The throughline in all of these: Ladd could slide into a story for five minutes or carry a subplot for an hour and it always felt lived-in. She made side characters essential, and essential characters complicated. An Oscar-nominated force who never overplayed it, she leaves behind a long list of people and performances that mattered. That is a legacy worth revisiting.