Diane Keaton made one of her wishes come true months before her tragic passing.
Less than a year before she died at age 79, the Oscar winner revealed that she had fulfilled her lifelong dream of becoming a professional singer by releasing her debut solo holiday song, "First Christmas."
"I CAN'T BELIEVE IT'S FINALLY HERE!" Diane wrote on Instagram in November 2024, alongside the cover art, which featured her posing in a black turtleneck and coordinating pants adorned with polka dots. "MY DEBUT HOLIDAY SINGLE, ‘FIRST CHRISTMAS,' IS COMING OUT FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 29TH."
She added, "SO EXCITED TO SHARE THIS SONG WITH YOU ALL."
Indeed, Diane—who had previously collaborated with Ashe on the singer's 2022 track "Love Is Letting Go"—had long been open about her desire to step into the world of music.
"I had a fantasy of being a nightclub singer that I carried through even into my early 20s," she told Richard Crouse in a 2014 interview. "I sang a couple of gigs, as they call them, but I was not very good."
And while she admitted that she had a "very small voice" with "limitations," she felt her passion for the craft made pursuing the career worth it.
"I have this love of it," she shared. "I love music. I love singing ballads and sad songs, it's just so much fun."
Diane passed away in California on Oct. 11, a family spokesperson confirmed to People.
In addition to her budding music career, she was a critically acclaimed actress who appeared in iconic films such as Annie Hall, The First Wives Club, Something's Gotta Give and The Godfather.
Following her passing, several of her former colleagues and fans paid tribute to her unforgettable legacy in the entertainment industry.
“Diane, working with you will always be one of the highlights of my life," Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who starred opposite Diane in 1991's Father of the Bride, wrote on Instagram Oct. 11. "You are one of a kind, and it was thrilling to be in your orbit for a time. Thank you for your kindness, your generosity, your talent, and above all, your laughter.”
For a look back at Diane's life in photos, keep reading.
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