Al Pacino, who played Diane Keaton’s fictional husband in The Godfather trilogy and who also dated the actress in real life, shared a powerful tribute to Keaton following her death on Saturday at the age of 79.
The 85-year-old wrote in Deadline that he was “shaken” when he first heard the news, writing, “Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life.“
“Though over thirty years has past since we were together, the memories remain vivid, and with her passing, they have returned with a force that is both painful and moving.”
Pacino went on to praise Keaton, writing that she “lived without limits, and everything she touched carried her unmistakable energy.”
“She opened doors for others, inspired generations and embodied a once-in-a-lifetime gift that radiated through her work and her life.”
He also praised her acting, which she did opposite him in all three of Francis Ford Coppola’s Godfather films as his wife, Kay Adams-Corleone. “On screen, she was magnetic — lightning and charm, hurricanes and tenderness. She was a wonder. Acting was her art, but it was only one of the many ways she expressed her imagination and creativity,” Pacino wrote.
“People will miss her, but more than that, they will remember her. She left a mark that cannot fade. She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human. I will always remember her. She could fly — and in my heart, she always will.”
In addition to playing fictional partners, Pacino and Keaton dated on and off for 16 years, from 1974 until 1990, reportedly breaking up after Pacino refused to commit to marriage.
Keaton died of pneumonia on Oct.11 at the age of 79. Neither she nor Pacino ever married, with one source telling the Daily Mail that Pacino came to regret not marrying Keaton, whom he considered the love of his life.
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