Illuminated any space she entered

Woody Allen has written a heartfelt remembrance of Diane Keaton following the actor’s death at age 79, sharing intimate memories of their romance and legendary creative partnership in an essay published by The Free Press.

“Unlike anyone the planet has ever known or is unlikely to ever see again, her face and her laugh lit up any space she entered,” Allen wrote in the article.

The director recalled their first meeting during an audition for his 1969 play “Play It Again, Sam” at the Morosco Theater. Keaton, fresh from Orange County and working as a wardrobe attendant while starring in “Hair,” had been recommended by theater professor Sandy Meisner.

“If Huckleberry Finn were a beautiful young woman, he would be Keaton,” Allen remembers seeing her for the first time.

The duo initially struggled to connect during the first week of rehearsals. “She was shy, I was shy, and with two shy people things can get pretty boring,” Allen wrote. But after sharing a quick meal during a break, everything changed. “She was so charming, so beautiful, so magical, that I questioned my sanity. I asked myself: Could I be in love so quickly?”

By the time the show debuted in Washington, D.C., they had struck up a romantic relationship. Keaton proved to be Allen’s most trusted creative collaborator, offering feedback on his films which he valued above all else.

“Over time, I made films for an audience of one person, Diane Keaton,” Allen revealed. “I never read a single review of my work and only cared about what Keaton had to say about it.”

Allen praised Keaton’s multifaceted talents beyond acting, highlighting her work as a writer, photographer, collage artist, interior designer and director. He also admired her unwavering aesthetic judgment, recalling that she did not hesitate to criticize even Shakespeare if she felt the bard had “gone wrong”.

The essay included colorful anecdotes from their time together, including a memorable Thanksgiving at Keaton’s Orange County home, where Allen played penny poker with his family and “won about 80 cents.”

“This handsome bastard went on to become an award-winning actress and sophisticated fashion icon,” Allen wrote. “We had a great few personal years together and eventually we both moved on, and only God and Freud could understand why we split.”

Allen concluded with a poignant reflection on Keaton’s legacy: “A few days ago, the world included Diane Keaton. Now it’s a world that isn’t. So it’s a drearier world. Yet there are her films. And her big laugh still rings in my head.”

Keaton starred in eight of Allen’s 50 films, including “Annie Hall,” “Manhattan” and “Radio Days.”

Allen remained a polarizing figure in Hollywood following his relationship with Soon-Yi Previn, the adopted daughter of his former partner Mia Farrow. Allen and Previn, married for more than two decades, began their relationship while Allen was still involved with Farrow. During the ensuing custody battle, Farrow alleged that Allen behaved inappropriately with their daughter Dylan Farrow. Allen has always denied these allegations.

The accusations resurfaced amid the #MeToo movement, prompting Keaton to publicly defend her longtime collaborator on social media. “Woody Allen is my friend and I still believe him,” Keaton wrote at the time. “It might be interesting to take a look at the 1992 ’60 Minutes’ interview and see what you think.”

In 2017, Allen presented Keaton with the AFI Life Achievement Award. “From the moment I met her, she was a really big inspiration to me,” Allen said at the ceremony. “A lot of what I’ve accomplished in my life I owe to her, of course. Seeing life through her eyes. She’s truly amazing. She’s a woman who is excellent at everything she does.”