Diane Ladd, Actor and Mother of Laura Dern, Has Died at 89
"She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created," Laura Dern said.
Published Nov. 4 2025, 10:31 a.m. ET
Actor Diane Ladd, mother of Laura Dern, died on Nov. 3, 2025. She was 89 years old. But for those who don't know much about the late actor, they might be wondering what Diane Ladd's cause of death is and if she had a diagnosis or illness that she hadn't shared with the public before she died.
Some fans who know Laura's name well and associate it with shows like Big Little Lies, Palm Royale, and movies like Jurassic Park may not know much about her mother. But in reality, Diane was an Oscar-nominated actor who also won a Golden Globe during her long career in TV and movies, per IMDb.
What was Diane Ladd's cause of death?
Although Diane's official cause of death was not immediately revealed to the public, both Diane and Laura opened up about Diane's lung disease diagnosis, idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, in their shared book Honey, Baby, Mine. In 2023, they spoke to People about learning of the diagnosis and fearing the worst. According to Laura at the time, per the outlet, she believed her mother had just months to live.
"The doctor told us the one thing that can help her is getting her to walk to breathe deeper," Laura told People.
The mother-daughter duo began taking frequent walks together and sharing intimate conversations, and four years after Diane's diagnosis, her condition improved. It's unclear if idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis contributed to Diane's death, but according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it is a progressive, long-term lung disease.
Per the NIH, individuals can live with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis if they follow their prescribed treatment plan. They also have to adopt lifestyle changes in some cases, which include quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight. Although in some cases, living with the diagnosis can lead to a more serious condition with the lungs, no one connected to Diane has publicly shared that this was her official cause of death.
Laura Dern released a statement about the death of her mother.
After Diane’s death, Laura shared a statement with The Hollywood Reporter about her loss.
"My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Calif.," she said, per the statement. "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."
Diane is survived by her daughter Laura and her grandchildren, Jaya Harper and Ellery Harper. She was married three times. First, it was to actor Bruce Dern, and later, to a businessman by the name of William A. Shea, Jr. Her late husband, Robert Charles Hunter, died in July 2025.
During her decades-long career, Diane appeared in or starred in tons of movies, including National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation and 28 Days. She was also in the HBO series Unlightened alongside Laura.