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This award-nominated actress Diane Ladd has died aged 89.

The actress, whose filmography spanned National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation, left this world in her residence in California’s Ojai. This announcement was revealed through a message by her daughter, Academy Award-winning star her daughter Laura Dern.

Dern, who appeared with her mother in several movies including Rambling Rose, described her as “my wonderful hero and my special gift being my mom”, noting that she was by her side as she died.

“She was the greatest grandmother, mother, daughter, performer, creative along with empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created,” she stated. “We were fortunate to know her. Her spirit soars with angels.”

Early Career and Rise to Fame

Ladd’s early career included small roles in TV shows like Perry Mason while the seventies had her appearing alongside actor Jack Nicholson in the film Chinatown.

In the same year, the year 1974, she shared the screen alongside Ellen Burstyn in Scorsese’s acclaimed dramatic comedy Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore, a classic. Her role brought Ladd an Academy Award nomination for best supporting actress.

1980s and Beyond

In the 1980s, she was seen in the dramatic film Black Widow, a suspense story plus funny follow-up National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation and also took part in Alice, a comedy program based on Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.

In the following decade, she earned an additional supporting actress nomination for her role in the David Lynch film the movie Wild at Heart where she played the parent of her real-life daughter Dern’s character. The next year she obtained a further nomination for her acting in the film Rambling Rose which also starred her daughter.

“This movie that Princess Diana selected as her very favorite, and she brought Laura and I to the UK for a royal premiere and a party in our honor,” Ladd shared of Rambling Rose. “And she sat between us, holding both our hands, with tears, viewing our performance.”

That decade featured performances in humorous films Cemetery Club bringing her back with Ellen Burstyn, Primary Colors, a political story, a political comedy, with John Travolta and Payne’s Citizen Ruth where she played Laura Dern’s mom again. The decade also saw her score TV award nominations for work in Dr Quinn, Medicine Woman, the show Grace Under Fire and Touched by an Angel, a drama.

Collaborations with Daughter

She kept appearing alongside her daughter in films blending humor and drama Daddy and Them, a movie, Lynch’s the movie Inland Empire and White’s comedy-drama series Enlightened. She additionally starred with Sandra Bullock, a star in the film 28 Days, Sir Anthony Hopkins in The World’s Fastest Indian and Jennifer Lawrence in the film Joy.

Subsequent TV appearances consisted of the series Ray Donovan and Young Sheldon.

Writing and Directing

She also authored and directed the comedy the movie Mrs Munck which starred herself and previous spouse actor Bruce Dern. “Bruce is an excellent performer,” she said. “It was a privilege to guide him in a movie. In fact, I am the sole female in recorded history who directed her former husband. I often joke: ‘I tell women, should you desire retribution, guide your former spouse.’ Though I’m just teasing.”

Family Ties

She happened to be the third cousin of the great Tennessee Williams, who she referred to as “a major inspiration on my life”.

During 2018, she received an incorrect diagnosis with a pulmonary condition and advised she had just six months to live but made a full recovery when her daughter shifted her to another medical facility.

“When you use your pain and avoid letting it accumulate like an injury, rather utilize it to explore, to illuminate the way for personal and collective growth, then you are succeeding,” Ladd expressed.