Diane Keaton’s Family Reveals Cause of Death, Thanks Fans for “Love and Support”

Hollywood is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved stars.

Diane Keaton’s family has revealed that the Oscar-winning actress died from pneumonia on October 11 at the age of 79. The news comes just days after PEOPLE first reported her passing in California.

In a heartfelt statement shared with the outlet, her loved ones thanked fans for their support. “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,” the family said. “She passed away from pneumonia on October 11.”

They added that Keaton’s passion for helping others never faded. “She loved her animals and was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community,” they said. “Any donations in her memory to a local food bank or animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute.”

A source told PEOPLE that Keaton’s health “declined very suddenly,” calling her death “so unexpected” for someone “with such strength and spirit.” They added that she spent her final months surrounded by her closest family, who kept her condition private.

Born in Los Angeles in 1946, Keaton became one of Hollywood’s most recognizable faces in the 1970s after her breakout role in The Godfather and her Oscar-winning performance in Annie Hall. Her long career included hits like The First Wives Club, The Family Stone, Because I Said So, and Book Club.

She also directed several projects, including the documentary Heaven and the comedy Hanging Up, and even took a turn on television in HBO’s The Young Pope.

Outside of Hollywood, Keaton built a quiet life centered around her two children, Dexter and Duke, whom she adopted in 1996 and 2001. She never married — a decision she once said she was grateful for. “I’m really glad I didn’t get married,” she told PEOPLE in 2019. “I’m an oddball… I didn’t want to be a wife. No.”

Diane Keaton will be remembered not only for her talent and wit but also for her warmth, individuality, and the joy she brought to audiences for over five decades.