Diane Ladd stars in "Enlightened" on HBO as Helen, Amy's (Laura Dern) mother.
Diane Ladd has been titled a chameleon and a national treasure. Her versatility includes dancing, a singing voice ranging from a lyric coloratura to a belting chest voice, stand-up comedy, acting, writing and directing. Time Magazine's Richard Corliss wrote, "Diane Ladd is one of the top ten actresses not only in this country, but in the whole world!"
Three-time Academy Award nominee for "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," "Wild At Heart," and "Rambling Rose," Ladd is a winner of over 23 international awards including the British Academy Award (BAFTA), the Spirit Award, and a Golden Globe. She is also a three-time Emmy nominee and was awarded the Susan B. Anthony "Failure is Impossible" Award at the High Falls Film Festival.
Diane Ladd received a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood in November 2010, together with her daughter Laura Dern and ex-husband Bruce Dern. The three Academy Award-nominated actors marked the first time in history where all members from one family received stars.
Diane Ladd most recently starred in "American Cowslip" with Val Kilmar, Cloris Leachman and Rip Torn, under the direction of Mark David. For Lifetime, Diane starred in "Montana Sky," adapted from Nora Roberts book under the direction of Mike Robe. Ladd also co-stars with Anthony Hopkins in "The World's Fastest Indian," directed by Roger Donaldson. In addition, she is the author "Spiraling through the School of Life" and is currently finishing her second book, "Interrupted Destiny."
Ladd co-stars with Ashley Judd in "Come Early Morning," directed by Joey Lauren Adams, which was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. Just before that, Ladd completed the film, "When I See the Ocean" with Amy Redford, Lee Majors, Richard Tyson and Graham Greene, directed by Tonya Holly.
Some of her box-office films include, "Christmas Vacation" starring Chevy Chase, "Primary Colors," starring John Travolta, and "28 Days," starring Sandra Bullock.
A Mississippi native, her original name was Rose Diane Ladnier, a derivative of Lanier (a cousin of the playwright Tennessee Williams, aka Tom Lanier Williams). Diane's father was a veterinarian, developing his own products which he sold throughout South.
Graduating from high school at 16, Ladd attended a finishing school in New Orleans, which she says "almost finished me!" She studied fencing, was in the church choir and sang with the French quarter band, Dixie Hi De Ho Jo, on weekends. She was spotted in a Gallery Circle Theatre play and chosen for a touring company of "Kirkland's Tobacco Road" with great John Carradine (David and Keith's father). Diane turned down a scholarship at Louisiana State University to study law and embarked on an acting career.
Next stop was the big apple. At the young age of 17, Diane became one of the famed Copa Girls, shortly thereafter landed the role of Putski in the national company of "A Hatful of Rain" with Ben Gazzara. Tennessee Williams' off-Broadway hit revival of "Orpheus Descending" was Diane's New York debut to rave review. Through the years she has performed theatrical productions ranging from musicals to comedy to Shakespeare to drama throughout the country: "The Fantastics," Norman Cousins' "Paul Gauguin," "Hamlet," "Women Speak" with Jane Fonda, "Love Letters" with Christopher Walken, among others. Ladd debuted on Broadway in Robert Alan Arthur's "Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights" with Lou Gossett, Jr. and David Steinberg, directed by Sydney Poitier. Opposite Robert De Niro, she returned to off-Broadway in "Noisy Passengers," written by Shelley Winters. Later, Diane starred in Preston Jones' renowned third play from his Texas Trilogy, "Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander." The pre-Broadway tryout, to standing ovations, at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater was their biggest hit to date. Six months later, Diane's play went to Broadway and earned magnificent, rave reviews.
CBS enticed Ladd to join the TV series cast of "Alice" in the role of Belle, a country-western singer and waitress—replacing the character of Flo, which Diane had created originally in Martin Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." Diane took home the Golden Globe for the TV show. Previously, Diane spent two seasons starring as Kitty Styles in ABC's "Soap Opera, Secret Storm."
Diane guest starred in the CBS pilot for the series "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" as the mother of the three children Jane Seymour adopts upon her death. Diane's performance received an Emmy nomination.
In 2004 Ladd starred along with Andrew McCarthy and Bruce Davison in Steven King's "Kingdom Hospital," a 15-hour miniseries for ABC. Other miniseries include "The James Van Praagh Story," "Living with the Dead" with Ted Danson and Queen Latifah, "Cold Lazarus" with Albert Finney, and NBC's "Black Beauty."
Another Emmy nomination was received by Ladd for her performance in Lifetime's TV movie "Gracie's Choice," directed by Peter Werner, with Kristen Bell and Anne Heche.
Diane and her daughter, Laura Dern, made show business history in "Rambling Rose" as the first mother and daughter tandem ever to be nominated for the Oscar and Golden Globe for the same motion picture in the same year. The late Princess Diana chose this film as one of her favorites giving it a royal premiere in London in honor of the actresses. Other notable films include "All Night Long" with Barbara Streisand and Gene Hackman; "Charlie's War" with Olympia Dukais and Lynn Redgrave; "Ghosts of Mississippi" with Whoopi Goldberg and Alec Baldwin; "Father Hood" with Patrick Swayze and Halle Berry; "The Cemetery Club" with Olympia Dukakis, Ellen Burstyn, Danny Aiello and Lainie Kazan; "A Kiss Before Dying" with Matt Dillon and Max von Sydow; and "Chinatown" with Jack Nicholson to name a few.
Ladd made her directing and writing debut in "Mrs. Munck" starring herself, Bruce Dern, Kelly Preston and Shelley Winters. This film was selected by ten international festivals, garnering 3 awards.
In her book, "Spiraling Through the School of Life," Ladd shares stories of personal insight and spiritual growth. Ladd serves as an advisor for The National Foundation of Alternative Medicine in Washington, D.C., along with Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Dean Ornish, among others.
Ladd wrote a play, "The Last of the Bad Girls" and is currently writing an autobiographical novel, "Two Rebels with a Cause," a parallel destiny about the late Martha Mitchell, wife of U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell, during the Nixon regime and Martha's effect upon Ladd's life. Martha Mitchell, the Cassandra in the Watergate fiasco, was the foundation for Washington's Deep Throat.
On Valentine's Day in 1998, Diane married Robert Charles Hunter. Together, they formed a production company, Exxcell Entertainment that produces documentary and feature films.
Ladd is a National Board Member of the Screen Actors Guild and a lifetime member of the famed Actors Studio. She takes a very active role in lobbying for the film industry. She resides in Southern California with her husband.
Diane Ladd has been titled a chameleon and a national treasure. Her versatility includes dancing, a singing voice ranging from a lyric coloratura to a belting chest voice, stand-up comedy, acting, writing and directing. Time Magazine's Richard Corliss wrote, "Diane Ladd is one of the top ten actresses not only in this country, but in the whole world!"
Three-time Academy Award nominee for "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore," "Wild At Heart," and "Rambling Rose," Ladd is a winner of over 23 international awards including the British Academy Award (BAFTA), the Spirit Award, and a Golden Globe. She is also a three-time Emmy nominee and was awarded the Susan B. Anthony "Failure is Impossible" Award at the High Falls Film Festival.
Diane Ladd received a star on the Walk of Fame in Hollywood in November 2010, together with her daughter Laura Dern and ex-husband Bruce Dern. The three Academy Award-nominated actors marked the first time in history where all members from one family received stars.
Diane Ladd most recently starred in "American Cowslip" with Val Kilmar, Cloris Leachman and Rip Torn, under the direction of Mark David. For Lifetime, Diane starred in "Montana Sky," adapted from Nora Roberts book under the direction of Mike Robe. Ladd also co-stars with Anthony Hopkins in "The World's Fastest Indian," directed by Roger Donaldson. In addition, she is the author "Spiraling through the School of Life" and is currently finishing her second book, "Interrupted Destiny."
Ladd co-stars with Ashley Judd in "Come Early Morning," directed by Joey Lauren Adams, which was featured at the Sundance Film Festival. Just before that, Ladd completed the film, "When I See the Ocean" with Amy Redford, Lee Majors, Richard Tyson and Graham Greene, directed by Tonya Holly.
Some of her box-office films include, "Christmas Vacation" starring Chevy Chase, "Primary Colors," starring John Travolta, and "28 Days," starring Sandra Bullock.
A Mississippi native, her original name was Rose Diane Ladnier, a derivative of Lanier (a cousin of the playwright Tennessee Williams, aka Tom Lanier Williams). Diane's father was a veterinarian, developing his own products which he sold throughout South.
Graduating from high school at 16, Ladd attended a finishing school in New Orleans, which she says "almost finished me!" She studied fencing, was in the church choir and sang with the French quarter band, Dixie Hi De Ho Jo, on weekends. She was spotted in a Gallery Circle Theatre play and chosen for a touring company of "Kirkland's Tobacco Road" with great John Carradine (David and Keith's father). Diane turned down a scholarship at Louisiana State University to study law and embarked on an acting career.
Next stop was the big apple. At the young age of 17, Diane became one of the famed Copa Girls, shortly thereafter landed the role of Putski in the national company of "A Hatful of Rain" with Ben Gazzara. Tennessee Williams' off-Broadway hit revival of "Orpheus Descending" was Diane's New York debut to rave review. Through the years she has performed theatrical productions ranging from musicals to comedy to Shakespeare to drama throughout the country: "The Fantastics," Norman Cousins' "Paul Gauguin," "Hamlet," "Women Speak" with Jane Fonda, "Love Letters" with Christopher Walken, among others. Ladd debuted on Broadway in Robert Alan Arthur's "Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights" with Lou Gossett, Jr. and David Steinberg, directed by Sydney Poitier. Opposite Robert De Niro, she returned to off-Broadway in "Noisy Passengers," written by Shelley Winters. Later, Diane starred in Preston Jones' renowned third play from his Texas Trilogy, "Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander." The pre-Broadway tryout, to standing ovations, at the Kennedy Center's Eisenhower Theater was their biggest hit to date. Six months later, Diane's play went to Broadway and earned magnificent, rave reviews.
CBS enticed Ladd to join the TV series cast of "Alice" in the role of Belle, a country-western singer and waitress—replacing the character of Flo, which Diane had created originally in Martin Scorsese's "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore." Diane took home the Golden Globe for the TV show. Previously, Diane spent two seasons starring as Kitty Styles in ABC's "Soap Opera, Secret Storm."
Diane guest starred in the CBS pilot for the series "Dr. Quinn, Medicine Woman" as the mother of the three children Jane Seymour adopts upon her death. Diane's performance received an Emmy nomination.
In 2004 Ladd starred along with Andrew McCarthy and Bruce Davison in Steven King's "Kingdom Hospital," a 15-hour miniseries for ABC. Other miniseries include "The James Van Praagh Story," "Living with the Dead" with Ted Danson and Queen Latifah, "Cold Lazarus" with Albert Finney, and NBC's "Black Beauty."
Another Emmy nomination was received by Ladd for her performance in Lifetime's TV movie "Gracie's Choice," directed by Peter Werner, with Kristen Bell and Anne Heche.
Diane and her daughter, Laura Dern, made show business history in "Rambling Rose" as the first mother and daughter tandem ever to be nominated for the Oscar and Golden Globe for the same motion picture in the same year. The late Princess Diana chose this film as one of her favorites giving it a royal premiere in London in honor of the actresses. Other notable films include "All Night Long" with Barbara Streisand and Gene Hackman; "Charlie's War" with Olympia Dukais and Lynn Redgrave; "Ghosts of Mississippi" with Whoopi Goldberg and Alec Baldwin; "Father Hood" with Patrick Swayze and Halle Berry; "The Cemetery Club" with Olympia Dukakis, Ellen Burstyn, Danny Aiello and Lainie Kazan; "A Kiss Before Dying" with Matt Dillon and Max von Sydow; and "Chinatown" with Jack Nicholson to name a few.
Ladd made her directing and writing debut in "Mrs. Munck" starring herself, Bruce Dern, Kelly Preston and Shelley Winters. This film was selected by ten international festivals, garnering 3 awards.
In her book, "Spiraling Through the School of Life," Ladd shares stories of personal insight and spiritual growth. Ladd serves as an advisor for The National Foundation of Alternative Medicine in Washington, D.C., along with Dr. Deepak Chopra and Dr. Dean Ornish, among others.
Ladd wrote a play, "The Last of the Bad Girls" and is currently writing an autobiographical novel, "Two Rebels with a Cause," a parallel destiny about the late Martha Mitchell, wife of U.S. Attorney General John Mitchell, during the Nixon regime and Martha's effect upon Ladd's life. Martha Mitchell, the Cassandra in the Watergate fiasco, was the foundation for Washington's Deep Throat.
On Valentine's Day in 1998, Diane married Robert Charles Hunter. Together, they formed a production company, Exxcell Entertainment that produces documentary and feature films.
Ladd is a National Board Member of the Screen Actors Guild and a lifetime member of the famed Actors Studio. She takes a very active role in lobbying for the film industry. She resides in Southern California with her husband.
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