Al Pacino has opened up about Diane Keaton's death as he remembers his ex-partner.
Keaton tragically passed away at age 79 from pneumonia on Saturday, October 11.
Cause of Death and Final Moments Revealed
According to a statement from her family shared with People, Keaton died from pneumonia on October 11.
“The Keaton family are very grateful for the extraordinary messages of love and support they have received these past few days on behalf of their beloved Diane, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11,” they wrote.
A 911 dispatch audio obtained by TMZ indicates that emergency responders were summoned to Keaton’s Los Angeles home at 8:08AM, with the operator announcing: “Rescue 19, person down” before reciting her address.
She was transported by ambulance to a hospital, where she ultimately passed away.
In recent months, Keaton had withdrawn from public life and was reportedly surrounded by close family in her final days - including her daughter Dexter, 29, and son Duke, 25, both of whom she adopted as a single mother later in life.
Her passion for animals and advocacy for the unhoused were central to her values.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggested that “donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her.”
Pacino Remembers His Former Partner and Friend
While filming a project in Paris, Al Pacino took time to reflect on his bond with Keaton in a message shared with Deadline on October 16.
“When I first heard the news, I was shaken,” said Pacino, now 85. He described Keaton as “my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life.”
Even though they had been apart for over three decades, Pacino said, “the memories remain vivid, and with her passing, they have returned with a force that is both painful and moving.”
He went on: “She lived without limits, and everything she touched carried her unmistakable energy.
"She opened doors for others, inspired generations and embodied a once-in-a-lifetime gift that radiated through her work and her life.”
Pacino concluded with a moving remembrance: “People will miss her, but more than that, they will remember her. She left a mark that cannot fade.
"She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human. I will always remember her. She could fly — and in my heart, she always will.”
Keaton and Pacino: A Love Story Behind the Camera
Diane Keaton and Al Pacino’s relationship was born amid the epic scale of The Godfather trilogy, where they played Kay Corleone and Michael Corleone onscreen.
But off camera, their connection deepened into a romantic relationship.
In 2017, Keaton revealed to People that she had had a crush on Pacino while filming The Godfather in 1971 and later said: “I was mad for him. Charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker.”
She described an intensity in him—“this kind of crazy idiot savant”—that drew her in.
But their path together was not without conflict. Keaton recalled giving Pacino an ultimatum: “I worked hard on that one. I went about it in not a perfect way,” she told People.
She admitted that when he wouldn’t commit to marriage, their relationship ended.
Hollywood Mourns: Tributes from Coppola, Reeves, Allen, and More
Director Francis Ford Coppola, who cast Keaton as Kay in The Godfather, honored her via Instagram on October 12: “Words can’t express the wonder and talent of Diane Keaton. Endlessly intelligent, so beautiful.”
He added: “Everything about Diane was creativity personified.”
Keanu Reeves, Keaton’s co‑star in Something’s Gotta Give, called her a “generous artist and a very special, unique person.”
Woody Allen, her longtime collaborator and one‑time romantic partner, also penned a poignant tribute, writing: “It’s grammatically incorrect to say ‘most unique,’ but all rules of grammar … are suspended when talking about Diane Keaton.”
He added: “Her face and laugh illuminated any space she entered.”
Nancy Meyers, who worked with her for nearly four decades, spoke of losing “a friend … she felt like a sister.”