Is Diane Keaton the most influential actor in modern Hollywood?
While some people may be natural-born performers, few possess the same effortlessness on camera. However, this is something that Diane Keaton has in spades, with the legendary actor becoming a regular in the world of Woody Allen and Francis Ford Coppola.
Throughout her decades-long career, she has starred in films such as The Godfather, Annie Hall, Manhattan and Reds, known for her contagious charm, wit and quirky idiosyncrasies that have made her one of the most admired women in Hollywood. Whether it be Emma Stone, Candice Bergen or Al Pacino, countless actors have spoken about Keaton’s influence on their craft and seismic impact on the industry as a whole. So, is Keaton the most influential actor in modern Hollywood?
Like many people in show business, Keaton has formed her career around performances of many kinds, working on screen and off Broadway from the very beginning. Her first stage appearance came in 1968 after starring in a Broadway production of Hair, then being nominated for a Tony award after her role in Woody Allen’s play Play It Again, Sam. It was this collaborative relationship that became the foundation of her subsequent career, becoming known for her frazzled characters in his neurotic world.
After a screen debut in Lovers and Other Strangers, Keaton’s second role was the staggering part of Kay Corleone in The Godfather, reprising the same character in later sequels of the epic story before continuing her work with Allen in Sleeper and Annie Hall, winning an Academy Award for ‘Best Actress’ for the latter.
Keaton did not want to be pegged down for a specific type of role and become typecasted in the industry, leading her to accept slightly left-field roles that would challenge the public perception of her abilities. Through this, she deftly entered the world of comedic acting, working with great entertainers such as Steve Martin, Martin Short and Lisa Kudrow. There aren’t many actors who can perform equally well in dramatic and comedic roles, with the likes of Robin Williams and Adam Sandler being some of the very few who spring to mind.
“I talk about her literally every day.”
emma stone
Over the years, Keaton has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, such as Morgan Freeman, Marlon Brando, Nancy Meyers and Al Pacino. Through her glittering on-screen legacy and infectious sense of youthful optimism, she has affirmed her place as one of the most uplifting forces in Hollywood, with many of her previous collaborators joining together to sing her praises.
Emma Stone has proven herself as an unstoppable force of her own in recent years, starring in bold projects such as Poor Things, La La Land and The Favourite, as well as producing projects such as I Saw The TV Glow and A Real Pain. While her passion for the business seems never-ending, she has described Keaton as an influence on her creative spark, saying, “I haven’t met her, but I talk about her so damn much that she’s probably scared of me. I talk about her literally every day. She’s probably a little freaked out by me, so maybe it’s a better idea not to meet her because she’s probably going to have to get some sort of restraining order at this point. I’m kidding; I promise I am no threat.”
Everyone, from Viola Davis to Ellen DeGeneres, has spoken about their love for Keaton’s career. She is forever embodying a sense of lightness and cheeky spirit, not taking herself too seriously and injecting life into everything she does.
