Hollywood is mourning the loss of Diane Keaton, the beloved actress who passed away at 79 years old on October 11 in California.
Her longtime friend, Carole Bayer Sager — the Grammy and Oscar-winning songwriter — recently opened up about her last moments with Diane, and what she noticed during their final meeting.
“I saw her just a few weeks ago,” Carole told PEOPLE. “She looked very thin. She had lost a lot of weight. I didn’t expect that at all.”
Carole explained that Diane had spent a few months living in Palm Springs earlier this year, after her home was damaged by the California wildfires. “She had to leave for a while so they could clean up the damage,” she said. “When she came back, I was kind of shocked by how much weight she had lost.”
Even with her health changes, Diane still had her same bright spirit. “She was a magic light for everyone,” Carole shared with a soft smile. “I just loved her. She was so special — she could light up any room with her energy. She was always taking photos, laughing, and creating something new. That’s who she was — she never stopped creating.”
One of Diane’s last creative projects was the Christmas song “First Christmas,” which she recorded with Carole and producer Jonas Myrin in late 2024.
“She was so happy recording that song,” Carole recalled. “She was like a kid — full of excitement. When she sang it, she wasn’t just singing, she was feeling every word. She even cried while recording, it was so real. That’s how genuine she was.”
Carole also remembered Diane’s one-of-a-kind fashion sense. “She never missed a chance to look stylish,” she said. “Even when we went to the movies, she dressed like she was shooting another scene from Annie Hall. Hats, jackets, baggy pants, belts — she had her own look, and she owned it. She was a fashion icon, without even trying.”
Diane was also part of a small “movie group” with close friends, including Bette Midler, who shared her own touching tribute.
Bette wrote, “She was hilarious, a complete original. She didn’t have that fake Hollywood attitude — what you saw was who she truly was. Oh, la, lala!”
Another friend told PEOPLE that Diane stayed funny and full of life right until the end. “She lived exactly how she wanted to,” they said. “She kept her circle small, filled with people she loved and things that made her happy. She made every little moment feel special. That was just Diane.”
Diane Keaton wasn’t just a movie star — she was a light in every room, a creator until her last days, and a woman who lived life fully, on her own terms.