Diane Keaton’s passing at age 79 closes a chapter on a remarkable career, but it also shines a light on the two formidable health battles that profoundly shaped her life. For decades, the intensely private star contended with the relentless threat of skin cancer and the psychological turmoil of bulimia, struggles she eventually shared with the world.
The first battle began early, with a skin cancer diagnosis at 21. This health scare had a visible impact on her public persona, as it led to her adoption of wide-brimmed hats for sun protection. Keaton confirmed this was a necessary precaution due to a strong family history of the disease, a fact that added weight to her later advocacy for sunblock.
Her fight with skin cancer was a lifelong affair, marked by a diagnosis of basal cell carcinoma and later, squamous cell cancer, which required two surgeries. Keaton often spoke of her youthful ignorance about sun damage as one of her great regrets, turning her personal medical history into a public lesson on preventative care.
The second battle was a more hidden one, a years-long struggle with bulimia. Sparked by a comment about her weight, the eating disorder grew into what she termed an “addiction.” Her shocking admission of consuming 20,000 calories in a day—followed by purging—revealed the depths of her illness and the immense strength required to seek help.
Keaton’s path to healing through therapy was transformative, allowing her to embrace motherhood in her 50s. By choosing to document these experiences in her memoir, she offered a message of hope. Her life story is a powerful reminder that even the most celebrated individuals face profound struggles, and that true strength lies in the courage to confront them.