Hollywood legend Diane Keaton was famous for many things — her razor-sharp wit, her offbeat sense of humor, and her incredible acting career that spanned more than five decades, but there was even more under the surface than you might have realized.
The beloved film star passed away on Saturday (October 11). Her family asked for privacy and her cause of death has not been confirmed.
Tributes have poured in from both fans and celebrities, including frequent collaborator Woody Allen, while one of her friends has shared more about her condition in the weeks before her death.
Perhaps just as iconic as her roles in Annie Hall and The Godfather, as well as The First Wives Club was her unmistakable style: the turtlenecks, the oversized suits, the chunky belts, and, of course, those ever-present hats.
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For years, fans adored her bold fashion choices and the quirky confidence she exuded, making her one of cinema’s most distinctive personalities.
Her look became so recognizable that it was almost inseparable from the woman herself: timeless, elegant, and effortlessly cool.
Keaton once even described the formula behind her signature outfits, saying that to have her kind of flair, a look needed ‘a turtleneck, suit, large belt, and of course, a hat and glasses’.
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But behind the glamour and individuality, there was a heartbreaking reason for her carefully chosen wardrobe.
The star’s decision to keep her neck and head covered wasn’t simply about fashion. It was deeply personal and, at times, a matter of survival.
In an interview with InStyle back in 2019, Keaton revealed that her signature look was more than just a statement of style, saying: “Yes, it’s very protective. It hides a multitude of sins. Flaws, anxiety—things like that. I would not feel comfortable in a short skirt or something cut off with my arms hanging out there.”
She also admitted that hats had become a kind of armor for her. She elaborated: “And I’ve always liked hats. They just frame a head. But, of course, nobody really thinks they’re as great as I do.”
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However, the Oscar-winning actress also had a very real medical reason for keeping herself covered up.
Keaton had battled skin cancer for most of her adult life. At just 21, she was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, and decades later, she was hit with squamous cell cancer, requiring multiple surgeries.
She once told TotalBeauty: “Wear sunscreen. You’ve got to put it on,” adding that she always carried factor 50 with her after her ‘serious’ diagnosis.
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Skin cancer ran in her family, too; her father, brother, and aunt all suffered from it, with her aunt losing her nose to the disease. Keaton later admitted she’d spent too much time in the sun as a young woman, calling it ‘stupid’, and warning others to protect their skin before it was too late.
She told the LA Times that her hats were part of her strategy to protect her face from the sun. Similarly, her fondness for turtlenecks meant her neck wasn't exposed.
So while her signature hats and high collars might have looked effortlessly chic, they were also symbols of self-protection — from both the harshness of Hollywood and the dangers of UV exposure.
Beneath that iconic brim, Diane Keaton was a survivor as well as a style icon.
Ben Williams