As quality film roles became harder to come by, she turned to the small screen and landed a substantial role in the riveting made-for-television docudrama "Guyana Tragedy: The Story of Jim Jones" (CBS, 1980), as the mother of the infamous cult leader (Powers Boothe). That same year, Ladd co-starred with Rock Hudson and Barbara Carrera in the substandard mad scientist movie, "Embryo" (1976). Capitalizing on her newfound recognition, she returned to Broadway in one-third of the three-part "A Texas Trilogy: Lu Ann Hampton Laverty Oberlander" in 1976. For her supporting role as tough-talking, world-wise waitress Flo, Ladd was nominated for an Oscar. It was a watershed year for the actress, when she also co-starred in director Martin Scorsese's critically-acclaimed comedy drama "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974), starring Ellen Burstyn as a widow starting her life anew while waitressing at an Arizona diner. Although there was the occasional prestige cinematic effort, such as the Steve McQueen vehicle "The Reivers" (1969), she spent most of her early movie career in low-to-medium budget genre fodder like "Rebel Rousers" (1970), another biker picture with by then ex-husband Dern and rising star Jack Nicholson.Ī few years later, Ladd would appear alongside Nicholson once again in one of cinema's all-time classic noir mysteries, Roman Polanski's "Chinatown" (1974). Shortly after the birth of her daughter Laura in 1967, she made her Broadway debut in "Carry Me Back to Morningside Heights" (1968). Following a run of guest spots on several television series and her feature debut in "Something Wild" (1961), Ladd had her first significant role alongside her husband in Roger Corman's landmark biker exploitation movie "The Wild Angels" (1966), co-starring Peter Fonda. Also in the cast was actor Bruce Dern, who she would marry the following year. Ladd landed her first major stage role in an off-Broadway production of her cousin Tennessee Williams' "Orpheus Descending" in 1959. Later, the Mississippi native moved to New York City where she enrolled at the famed The Actors Studio and supported herself as a model and dancer at the famed Copacabana for a short time. After attending finishing school, she was noticed by actor John Carradine while she was performing in a stage performance he promptly cast her in a production of "Tobacco Road" for the touring show's San Francisco leg. 29, 1935 in Meridian, MS, she was the only child of Mary Bernadette and Preston Paul Ladner, and was related to both playwright Tennessee Williams and poet Sidney Lanier. Boasting an incredibly diverse array of onscreen characterizations over a career that spanned more than 50 years, Ladd remained a vibrant presence in film and television well into the 21st Century.īorn Rose Diane Ladner on Nov. Ladd teamed with her daughter several more times, most notably in Alexander Payne's "Citizen Ruth" (1996) and again with Lynch for "Inland Empire" (2006). Ladd followed her Academy Award-nominated turn in David Lynch's "Wild at Heart" with another Oscar nod for her performance in "Rambling Rose" (1991), also alongside daughter Laura. In 1980, she revisited the gang at Mel's diner when she joined the cast of the spin-off sitcom "Alice" (CBS, 1976-1985), as the replacement for Flo, the character she had created in the original Martin Scorsese film. The same year as "Alice," Ladd also appeared in the masterful "Chinatown" (1974), directed by Roman Polanski. After receiving her training on the stages of New York, Ladd became a fixture on episodic television prior to landing roles in low-budget films such as "The Wild Angels" (1966), alongside her actor husband, Bruce Dern. Oscar-nominated character actress Diane Ladd achieved notoriety as the wisecracking waitress Flo in the feature classic "Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore" (1974), only to later reestablish herself with an unhinged portrayal as an obsessed mother opposite her real-life daughter Laura Dern in "Wild at Heart" (1990).
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