Laura Dern’s mother, Diane Ladd‘s cause of death has officially been confirmed following her passing two weeks ago. She died at the age of 89 on November 3, with Dern announcing the news in an official statement. She was a three-time Academy Award Nominee for her roles in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, Rambling Rose, and Wild at Heart.
Diane Ladd died of chronic hypoxic respiratory failure
According to PEOPLE, Ladd died of acute chronic hypoxic respiratory failure. Her death certificate also reveals that she had been suffering from interstitial lung disease for years, with esophageal dysmotility noted as a major contributing factor.
This condition occurs when there’s a significant drop in blood oxygen levels, which can lead to respiratory failure. The condition can develop suddenly (acute) or progress gradually over time (chronic).
On November 3, Laura Dern announced in a statement that her mother died. She described her as “my amazing hero and my profound gift.” Ladd passed away at her home in Ojai, CA, in the morning, in the presence of her daughter.
Dern further added, “She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist, and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now.”
Ladd’s acting career began in 1953, when she was cast in Jack Kirkland’s play Tobacco Road. She then relocated to New York to pursue her career professionally. She made her television debut in an episode of Decoy, followed by The Big Story and The Walter Winchell File. Her first feature film was The Wild Angels, before which she had done two movies for which she remained uncredited.
She got her breakthrough by playing Florence Jean “Flo” Castleberry in Martin Scorsese’s Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, for which she was nominated for the Oscars in the Supporting Actress category. Other projects she’s known for are Chinatown, Alice, 28 Days, Black Beauty, Kingdom Hospital, and more.
Originally reported by Shazmeen Navrange on ComingSoon.
