Al Pacino praises “magnetic” Diane Keaton as he breaks silence on ex-girlfriend’s death from Pneumonia

Anyone familiar with The Godfather films would instantly recall Al Pacino and Diane Keaton as Michael and Kay Corleone, a pair whose story became one of cinema’s most enduring portraits of love and loss. Off camera, their bond carried beyond the film franchise, evolving into a personal relationship that lasted long after the lights dimmed.

This week, Al Pacino broke his silence on Keaton’s death from pneumonia, sharing his thoughts through Deadline.

"I am deeply saddened by Diane Keaton’s passing."

His statement unfolded like a quiet remembrance.

"When I first heard the news, I was shaken. Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life... Though over thirty years has past since we were together, the memories remain vivid," he said.

He remembered her spirit with affection:

"On screen, she was magnetic — lightning and charm, hurricanes and tenderness... She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human. I will always remember her. She could fly — and in my heart, she always will."

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Diane Keaton’s death certificate reveals she battled pneumonia in final days

A copy of Diane Keaton’s death certificate, reviewed by People on Thursday, October 16, confirmed that the actress had died from primary bacterial pneumonia. The report noted she had battled the infection for several days before her death. She was 79.

The official record did not list any other medical factors. It also confirmed that Diane Keaton had been cremated two days earlier, on Tuesday, October 14. The document’s release came shortly after the Keaton family publicly thanked fans and shared details of her passing.

“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, who passed away from pneumonia on October 11,” the family’s statement to People read.

“She loved her animals and she was steadfast in her support of the unhoused community, so any donations in her memory to a local food bank or an animal shelter would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute to her.”

Keaton’s career had stretched across five decades, with defining performances in Annie Hall, Something’s Gotta Give and The First Wives Club, roles that helped make her one of Hollywood’s most enduring leading women.

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The Godfather’s casting story: Diane Keaton and Al Pacino’s unexpected journey

Director Francis Ford Coppola co-wrote the 1972 film’s screenplay with author Mario Puzo, whose novel The Godfather had been released three years earlier, in 1969. Coppola once explained how he came to cast Diane Keaton , then a relatively unknown actress, as Kay Corleone. During a 2023 Instagram Q&A, Keaton herself wrote in to ask, “Why on Earth did you choose me for The Godfather?!!” (The Godfather also marked one of Al Pacino’s earliest film roles.)

Coppola shared Keaton’s question publicly and offered a warm reply.

“I chose you, because although you were to play the more straight/vanilla wife, there was something more about you, deeper, funnier, and very interesting. (I was right),” he shared at the time.

The director revealed that he had first seen Keaton perform in the original Broadway cast of Hair in 1968.

“I was invited by Fred Astaire to accompany him to see Hair, which he couldn’t make ‘hide nor hair’ out of. You were in it, and I remember your beautiful singing voice,” Coppola recalled.

Looking back on her early career, Keaton admitted she felt lucky for how things unfolded.

“I think about how lucky I am. That’s what I think. And the way I think about things, like I auditioned for The Godfather, not having ever read The Godfather or caring about The Godfather or anything, because all I was doing was auditioning. I needed to get work,” she said.

“So I was there and so he had me come back and then he cast me and then Al Pacino,” she added.

At the time, the studio had been hesitant to cast Al Pacino, as Michael Corleone. But Coppola arranged a chemistry read with Keaton , a meeting that ultimately changed minds.

“He brought Al Pacino in and we did it together and for some reason that helped them cast him. Can you imagine if [they] hadn’t cast him?” Keaton recalled

“So a lot of these experiences that you have come and you’re just surprised, like today, this was a surprise. This is [a] complete, utter surprise to me,” she added.

You think about The Godfather, and Diane Keaton comes to mind instantly. And then you think about Al Pacino. The two of them, side by side, created something that felt bigger than a movie. Al Pacino remembers her wit, her spark, the way she shaped every scene she was in. He has spoken about her kindness, her strength, her humor, all of it. Even now, Al Pacino says, the way she touched people’s lives, his included, is impossible to forget. It’s a partnership, a friendship, a piece of history, and Al Pacino’s words remind us just how rare that is.