Laura Dernthe father, Bruce Dernis paying tribute to his late ex-wife, Diane Ladd.
“Diane was a tremendous actress and I feel like a bit of a ‘hidden treasure’ until she met David Lynch,” Bruce, 89, said in a statement. Us Weekly on Monday, November 3. “When he put her as Laura’s mother wild at heart the world seemed to truly understand his brilliance. She was a great asset as a SAG board member for decades, giving a real actress’ point of view.”
Earlier in the day, Laura confirmed in a statement The Hollywood Reporter that Ladd had died at his home in Ojai, California. He was 89 years old. His cause of death has not yet been revealed.
“He lived a good life,” Bruce shared in his statement. “She saw everything for what it was. She was a great teammate to her fellow actors. She was funny, smart, kind. But most importantly to me, she was a wonderful mother to our amazing prodigy daughter. And for that I will be eternally grateful.”
Diane Ladd’s death came three months after the death of husband Robert Charles Hunter. Hunter’s family announced to The Hollywood Reporter in August that the former CEO of PepsiCo Food Systems died in Fort Worth, Texas, while visiting his children. He was 77 years old and survived by Ladd, stepdaughter Laura Dern and their children, Brandon, Amy (…)
Bruce and Ladd were married from 1960 to 1969. The former couple also shared a daughter named Diane, who died at 18 months after a drowning accident in 1962.
“If you lose a child, it’s very hard to deal with,” Ladd shared in her memoir. Darling, baby, my when talking about his divorce. “We were struggling actors. We could hardly do it. We had to stay in the same house where he died because we couldn’t afford to leave. His family could have helped us, but they didn’t.”
Ladd remarried William A. Shea Jr. from 1969 to 1977. His last marriage was to Robert Charles Hunter. The couple said “I do” on Valentine’s Day in 1999 and remained married for more than two decades, until his death in July.
Hunter’s family announced The Hollywood Reporter on August 1 that the former CEO of PepsiCo Food Systems died in Fort Worth, Texas, while visiting his children. He was 77 years old.
Although Bruce’s romantic relationship with Ladd may have come to an end in the 1960s, the pair remained friends and were able to share the screen together in several projects.
Hollywood has mourned the deaths of some of its most legendary stars in 2025. The first half of the year saw the tragic news of the deaths of David Lynch, Michelle Trachtenberg, George Foreman, Val Kilmer and Duck Dynasty star Phil Robertston. Thank you! You have successfully subscribed. Subscribe to newsletters Please enter a valid (…).
After its production of Descendant Orpheusthe exes appeared The wild angels (1966) i The Rebel Rousers (1970). They also starred Mrs. Munck (1995) and American cowslip (2009).
In 2010, Bruce, Ladd and Laura made history when they were the first family members to be inducted together with adjacent stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
“I ask the universe that these three stars right here, when I’m dead and gone or if I’m still alive, that whoever comes and looks at it or stands up to it, that the energy of our lives permeates its foundations and helps each and every one of us fulfill our destiny with joy and love, as I wish for you,” Ladd said during his acceptance speech. people.