Diane Keaton is an intensely private person. The purpose of this mini-bio is not to dissect intimate details of her life, discuss various unfounded rumours, or infringe upon her privacy in any other manner. What you will see here, instead, are the basic facts necessary in tracing the development of Diane's amazing career, and extraordinary talent.

//Diane Hall is born on 5 January 1946. She spends most of her childhood in Santa Ana, California, wanting to be a singer.

//After a spending her formative years involved in amateur dramatics, Diane drops out of college and in 1965 makes the move to New York City where she enrolls at Sandford Meisner's Neighborhood Playhouse School of the Theater. There, on a scholarship, she hones her acting skills.

//Upon discovering that there is already a "Diane Hall" registered with Actor's Equity, Diane changes her last name to Keaton (her mother's maiden name).

//Her first big break comes when she decides to audition for the Broadway musical, Hair, in 1968. Initially rejected, the producers changed their mind at the last minute and Diane stayed on as understudy to the lead, then Lynn Kellogg. When Kellogg decides to leave the show a short time later, Diane replaces her and quickly makes a name for herself by being the only cast member to abstain from the strip-tease finale.

//Nine months after her appearance in Hair, Diane meets comedian Woody Allen and is cast for his first Broadway play, Play It Again Sam. The two become romantically involved and their partnership quickly evolves into one of the most professionally prolific pairings in the business.

//Finding success as a stage actress, Diane makes the jump to film when she begins co-starring alongside Woody in several successful comedic ventures such as the celluloid version of Play it Again Same, Sleeper, and Love and Death, amongst others. In 1972 Francis Ford Coppola casts her in his epic mobster drama, The Godfather, as the much maligned Kay Corleone, wife of Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). She reprises the role in the 1974 sequel.

//Diane continues to act in films throughout the 70s, but skyrockets to stardom with in 1977 with two roles that captivate the nation. One is as the sexually promiscuous Theresa Dunn in Looking for Mr. Goodbar, and the other is as the titular role in Annie Hall, a loose parody of her relationship with Woody Allen. She is nominated for her first Academy Award, which she wins during the 1978 Oscar ceremony. She is also nomatined twice in the same category at the Golden Globes. Diane wins for Annie Hall. (It's hard competing against yourself!)

//As the decade comes to a close, Diane continues to work with Woody, garnering more critical acclaim in both Interiors and Manhattan. She again makes headlines after she becomes involved with Warren Beatty, who in turn, casts her along side him in his self-directed film Reds.

//In 1981, Diane is nominated for her second Academy Award for her performance as Louise Bryant in Reds.

//The early 80s mark a stylistic change for Diane, as she seeks out more and more dramatic roles, such as Shoot the Moon, Mrs. Soffel, and Crimes of the Heart (adapted from Beth Henley's Pulitzer Prize winning play).

//Diane begins to venture into the directorial arena with 1987's Heaven, a documentary about well, heaven. Fittingly, she also begins to direct music videos, including Belinda Carlisle's Heaven is a Place on Earth.

//1987 also saw Diane return to her comedic roots with her role as J.C. Wiatt, Tiger Lady, in Baby Boom. Around this time, Diane begins to date Al Pacino. The two find themselves onscreen together again in 1990's The Godfather Part III

//Diane continues to explore directing, shooting episodes for both China Beach in 1990 and Twin Peaks in 1991

//Continuing her comedic revival, Diane co-stars as Steve Martin's better half in Father of the Bride (1991), and reteams with Woody Allen for 1993's Manhattan Murder Mystery.

//Next year, she is nominated for an Emmy award as Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special for her title role in Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight

//Diane joins Steve Martin again for the sequel to Father of the Bride in 1995, and in the same year, she directs her first full-length feature film, the critically acclaimed Unstrung Heroes.

//1996 is a huge year for Diane, as she co-stars in the blockbuster hit The First Wives Club with Goldie Hawn and Bette Midler. She also acts alongside Meryl Streep in Marvin's Room and earns her third Academy Award nomination for her portrayal of cancer victim Bessie Wakefield.

//Diane is back at the helm as director in 2000 with Hanging Up, in which she also stars alongside Meg Ryan and Lisa Kudrow. She also finds time to help out Warren Beatty for his film Town and Country.

//2003 Diane's film Something's Gotta Give pairs her with both Jack Nicholson and Keanu Reeves. This Nancy Meyer's project garnishes rave reviews, and moreover:  a Golden Globe for Diane, a National Boad of Review "Best Actress" Award, a SAG nomiation, and her fourth Academy Award Nomination to date!

//2004 Hot of the trails of her groundbreaking performance in SGG, Diane prepares for her next role in Callie Khouri's (screenwriter of  Thelma & Louise) Mad Money.  Goldie Hawn will produce.

//2004  Diane's a busy lady working on a number of projects!  She is currently filming the T.V. movie "Surrender Dorothy" as well as working on two more upcoming films.  Da Vinci's Mother will pair her with Jim Sheridan (of My Left Foot and In America fame) and Hating Her will reteam Diane with her FWC co-star Sarah Jessica Parker.  There is also word at IMDB of an "Untitled" project in the works, that I will cautiously speculate  (or blatantly hope/pray) has Diane directing.  2005 is looking VERY good kids!  

*Note: This is an abbreviated filmography, highlighting the major endeavours of Diane as both an actress and a director. To see an more comprehensive version of this list, check out the International Movie Database.

Actress:
~Lovers and Other Strangers 1970
~ The Godfather 1972
~ Play It Again Sam 1972
~ Sleeper 1973
~ The Godfather Part II 1974
~ Love and Death 1975
~ Harry and Walter Go to New York 1976
~ I Will, I Will. . .For Now 1976
~ Looking for Mr. Goodbar 1977
~ Annie Hall 1977
~ Interiors 1978
~ Manhattan 1979
~ Reds 1981
~ Shoot the Moon 1982
~ The Little Drummer Girl 1984
~ Mrs. Soffel 1984
~ Crimes of the Heart 1986
~ Radio Days 1987
~ Baby Boom 1987
~ The Good Mother 1988
~ The Lemon Sisters 1990
~ The Godfather Part III 1990
~ Father of the Bride 1991
~ Running Mates 1992
~ Manhattan Murder Mystery 1993
~ Look Who’s Talking Now 1993
~ Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight 1994
~ Father of the Bride Part II 1995
~ The First Wives Club 1996
~ Marvin’s Room 1996
~ Northern Lights 1997
~ The Only Thrill 1997
~ The Other Sister 1999
~ Hanging Up 2000
~ Town and Country 2001
~ Something’s Gotta Give 2003

Director:
~ Heaven 1987
~“China Beach” 1988
~“Twin Peaks” 1990
~ The Girl With the Crazy Brother 1990
~ Various videos for Belinda Carlisle (including her most famous, “Heaven on Earth” in 1987)
~ Unstrung Heroes 1995
~ Hanging Up 200
~“Pasadena” 2001

Here is a (most likely incomplete, I'm sure I probably missed something) listing of the many awards Diane has been nominated for. An asterik denotes her having won in said category.

Academy Awards:
* Best Actress in a Leading Role Annie Hall 1978
Best Actress in a Leading Role Reds 1982
Best Actress in a Leading Role Marvin's Room 1997
Best Actress in a Leading Role Something's Gotta Give 2004

Golden Globes:
*Best Motion Picture Actress - Musical/Comedy Annie Hall 1978
Best Motion Picture Actress - Drama Looking For Mr. Goodbar 1978
Best Motion Picture Actress- Drama Reds 1982
Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Shoot the Moon 1983
Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Drama Mrs. Soffel 1985
Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical Baby Boom 1988
Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical Manhattan Murder Mystery 1994
Best Actress in a Mini-Series or Motion Picture Made for TV Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight 1994
*Best Actress in a Motion Picture - Comedy/Musical Something's Gotta Give 2004

Emmys:
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Special Amelia Earhart: The Final Flight 1995

BAFTAs:
*Best Actress Annie Hall 1978
Best Actress Manhatta