Diane Keaton's Book Club co-star recalls meeting actress at Jack Nicholson’s birthday party before death

In the months before her passing, those closest to Diane Keaton quietly noticed how she cherished time with friends, moments that would later become memories. Her Book Club co-star Ed Begley Jr. shared one such memory, recalling their warm exchange at a familiar face’s birthday celebration.

“I saw her fairly recently at Jack Nicholson’s birthday party, and it was good to see her there,”

Begley Jr. told People on October 11.

“She loved Jack Nicholson, as I do, and Jack loved her. So I don’t mean to speak for him. I’m sure he’s as devastated as I am by her loss.”

When the word of Keaton’s death surfaced, she was 79. A close friend told the outlet that the beloved star “declined very suddenly, which was heartbreaking for everyone who loved her.” The family, the source said, kept her condition private, and “even longtime friends weren’t fully aware of what was happening.”

Diane Keaton and Jack Nicholson shared an unmistakable on-screen chemistry in Something’s Gotta Give, the 2003 Nancy Meyers film that earned Keaton an Oscar nomination. She often spoke with affection about that project, calling it her “favorite film” in her memoir Then Again.

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Keanu Reeves Reflects on Diane Keaton’s Legacy:

Keanu Reeves paid tribute to Diane Keaton in the days after the Oscar winner’s passing, reflecting on their time working together in Something’s Gotta Give. “Total pro,” Reeves told E! News during the October 13 New York City screening of his upcoming film Good Fortune.

“She was very nice to me. Generous, generous artist and a very special, unique person, it was cool to be able to see her and Jack Nicholson together, just with the history they shared and the way the fondness and love they had for each other. It's really cool,” shared Keanu Reeves.

Keanu Reeves wasn’t the only one honoring Keaton’s memory. Nancy Meyers, who also directed Diane Keaton in Baby Boom and both Father of the Bride films, shared a heartfelt message on Instagram on October 13.

“These past 48 hours have not been easy, seeing all of your tributes to Diane has been a comfort,” she wrote.

Calling Keaton “a friend of almost 40 years,” the filmmaker reflected on the creative bond they built across multiple projects.

She wrote, “At times over those years, she felt like a sister because we shared so many truly memorable experiences.”

Meyers also recalled Keaton’s trademark commitment on set.

“When I needed her to cry in scene after scene in Something’s Gotta Give she went at it hard and then somehow made it funny, and I remember she would sometimes spin in a kind of goofy circle before a take to purposely get herself off balance or whatever she needed to shed so she could be in the moment,” shared Meyers.

She ended her tribute with a brief farewell:

“Thank you Di. I’ll miss you forever.”

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Mary Steenburgen, Jane Fonda, and Candice Bergen remember Diane Keaton:

Diane Keaton’s Book Club co-stars paid tribute to the late actress with emotional statements shared in the days after her death. Mary Steenburgen described Keaton as “magic,” writing,

“There was no one, nor will there ever be, anyone like her. I loved her and felt blessed to be her friend. My love to her family. What a wonder she was!!!”

Jane Fonda shared her thoughts in a post on Instagram, reflecting on Keaton’s creativity and humor.

“It’s hard to believe...or accept…that Diane has passed, she was always a spark of life and light, constantly giggling at her own foibles, being limitlessly creative... in her acting, her wardrobe, her books, her friends, her homes, her library, her worldview. Unique is what she was. And, though she didn’t know it or wouldn’t admit it, man she was a fine actress!” Fonda wrote.

Candice Bergen also honored her friend, writing,

“This is a huge loss, both personally and for all of us. Diane was a true artist – tremendously gifted and uniquely talented in so many disciplines, yet also modest and wonderfully eccentric. I will miss her terribly,” she shared.

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Woody Allen remembers Diane Keaton after her death:

Woody Allen paid an emotional tribute to Diane Keaton following her death, reflecting on their decades-long friendship and creative partnership that began in the late 1960s. In an essay for The Free Press, the 89-year-old filmmaker revisited the start of their connection during rehearsals for his 1969 play Play It Again, Sam, which led to both a five-year romance and a prolific screen collaboration. The pair went on to make eight films together, even after their relationship ended.

“As time went on, I made movies for an audience of one, Diane Keaton, I never read a single review of my work and cared only what Keaton had to say about it.” Allen wrote.

He described the Oscar-winning actress as “unlike anyone the planet has experienced or is unlikely to ever see again,” adding that “her face and laugh illuminated any space she entered.” Keaton’s death came as a shock to many close to her, Allen noted.

“A few days ago the world was a place that included Diane Keaton, now it’s a world that does not. Hence, it’s a drearier world. Still, there are her movies. And her great laugh still echoes in my head,” he shared.