Diane Keaton Became a Single Mom to 2 Kids in Her 50s
Diane Keaton has been a star for decades, and from her fashion choices to her romantic life, she’s never been one to let other people’s expectations influence what she did. The accomplished actor, producer, singer, and director has an extensive and impressive career with credits like Annie Hall and Something’s Gotta Give. One of the bold choices the Oscar-winning actor made was to become a single mother when she was in her 50s.
Diane Keaton is unique in Hollywood
According to Biography, Keaton has been a respected actor since the 1970s, when she starred in several Woody Allen films. One of those movies, the iconic Annie Hall, won her an Oscar in 1978. She went on to star in some very famous movies of the last five decades, including the Godfather franchise, Reds, Baby Boom, Father of the Bride, and The First Wive’s Club.
At 74 years old, Keaton has continued to work steadily and draw critical acclaim for her acting. She’s been able to choose roles that draw attention to issues women face as they age, such as in the romantic comedy Something’s Got To Give, which she starred as a playwright opposite Jack Nicholson.
Becoming a mom in her 50s
Along with her remarkable acting career, Keaton has also had a storied romantic life. She’s famously dated several notable Hollywood heartthrobs, including Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, and Al Pacino. But despite all these relationships, she never seemed to find a man she wanted to spend the rest of her life with. And when Keaton hit her 50s, she decided that it was time for a different kind of love story.
According to Mom, Keaton adopted her daughter, Dexter in 1996. She went on five years later to adopt her son Duke in 2001. She said that becoming a mother helped her become a better person. “It made me realize that I was completely self-involved. I’m an actress after all. I didn’t have anyone to tell me how well I was doing, or if I was doing it right.”
The unusual timing of her diving into motherhood may not be what most people choose, but Keaton makes it clear that her kids are the most important people in her life.” The loves of my life are my children and my mother,” she explained. “I don’t feel as if I need a man. Don’t get me wrong, I love men … [but] I have kids and my work. That’s fine with me.”
But despite her contentment with her life, Keaton seems to have had second thoughts about whether she went about parenthood in the best way.
She doesn’t think it was the ‘best possible scenario’
Although she clearly cherishes her children, Keaton has also admitted that it might have been better if she’d had a partner in raising them. The Daily Mail reported that she thought having someone by her side would have been better.
“‘As a parent, I provide all I can,” she said, “but I think in the best possible scenario you need to have a man.” Dexter and Duke are now adults, and they seem to be doing well, despite whatever regrets their mom may have about the home she provided them.
Despite being in her 70s, Keaton shows no sign of slowing down. She’s even discussing reuniting with her co-stars from The First Wive’s Club for a new movie, Family Jewels. She has never been one to live her life by other people’s timelines. It was surprising, but not unlike her, to adopt two children on her own, later in life.
