Home / Arts and Entertainment / Acclaimed Actress Diane Ladd, Mother of Laura Dern, Dies at 89
Acclaimed Actress Diane Ladd, Mother of Laura Dern, Dies at 89
3 Nov
Summary
- Diane Ladd, award-winning actress, dies on Nov. 3, 2025
- Ladd was married to Robert Charles Hunter for 26 years until his death in 2025
- Ladd, Laura Dern, and Bruce Dern were the only family to have all been nominated for an Oscar

Diane Ladd, a renowned and award-winning actress, passed away on November 3, 2025, at her home in Ojai, California. She was 89 years old. Ladd, who was the mother of acclaimed actress Laura Dern, had been married to Robert Charles Hunter for 26 years until his death in July 2025.
Ladd's acting career spanned decades, and she was known for her powerful performances. She and her daughter Laura, along with Ladd's first husband, actor Bruce Dern, made history as the only family to have all been nominated for an Academy Award for acting. Ladd and Laura were both nominated in 1992, a remarkable achievement.
In the years following her divorce from Bruce Dern in 1969, Ladd went on to marry two more times, first to businessman William A. Shea Jr. and then to former PepsiCo CEO Robert Charles Hunter in 1999. Ladd and Hunter remained married until his passing earlier this year. Despite the ups and downs in her personal life, Ladd maintained a close friendship with her ex-husband Bruce Dern, and they even celebrated holidays together with their respective spouses.




