Was Diane Ladd related to Cheryl Ladd? Family life explored as Laura Dern's mother passes away at 89

Laura Dern’s mother, Diane Ladd, 89, died from unknown causes on November 3, 2025. The actress portrayed many memorable roles in her career.

Diane was believed to be associated with Cheryl Ladd. However, this is not true, as stated by Parade magazine. The outlet also mentioned that the duo shares the same surname, and their last name was not Ladd when they were born.

Laura spoke to People magazine after Diane Ladd’s death, describing the latter as her “amazing hero” and “profound girl.” The Haunted Summer star mentioned that her mother died at her California-based residence.

"She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created," Dern wrote. "We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now."

Diane’s journey started by playing uncredited characters in films like Something Wild. She eventually built a fan base with her performances in other popular titles such as Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Wild at Heart.

Ladd’s final screen presence was around three years ago in Isle of Hope. She appeared as Belle Dupree in the CBS sitcom Alice. Among her notable roles, Diane gained recognition in shows such as Kingdom Hospital, Enlightened and Chesapeake Shores.

She also had multiple television films in her credits. This includes I Married a Centerfold, Celebration Family, The Siege at Ruby Ridge, Sharing the Secret, Living with the Dead, Mayerthorpe and more.

Diane Ladd was a mother of two children: Personal life and other details explained

The Laurel, Mississippi, native became a popular face with her roles in different projects. But outside the entertainment industry, she also had a family. Apart from Laura, the All Night Long star had another daughter, also named Diane.

The Plain Clothes star first exchanged vows with actor Bruce Dern. The pair’s first meeting happened when the latter was actively working in theatre productions. The duo had the opportunity to collaborate on Orpheus Descending.

Following their marriage, the couple lost their first daughter, Diane Elizabeth, in a drowning accident, 18 months after she was born, as per People magazine. Diane Ladd’s marriage with Bruce started going through trouble shortly after Laura was born. They divorced after being together for nine years.

While Ladd and Dern continued to share a close friendship, the former met a businessman named William A. Shea Jr. However, this marriage also did not last long, eventually leading to divorce in 1977.

During a conversation with Deseret News a few years later, Diane Ladd addressed her first marriage to Bruce Dern, saying that she initially believed the birth of Laura would change many things, considering they had suffered a significant loss. Ladd mentioned that it did not happen because the situation was different at the time.

“I was terrified, being on my own with Laura," Diane said. "I had to force myself not to be overly protective because I had lost one child. The result was that it worked the other way. I allowed her to be a free thinker, and that helped her become her own person."

More than 15 years after her split from William, the Get A Clue star got married to Robert Charles Hunter, who served as the CEO of PepsiCo in the past. Robert died in July 2025.

Diane’s survivors include her daughter, Laura, and her grandchildren. Further updates on her funeral and cause of death are currently awaited.