What happened to Diane Ladd’s first daughter? Actress lost Laura Dern’s sister at 18 months old

Diane Ladd, who recently passed away at the age of 89 on November 3, 2025, suffered the loss of her 18-month-old daughter, Diane Elizabeth Dern, in 1962. In a 2023 interview with CBS News, Daniel shared that her 18-month-old fell into a pool, due to which she hit her head and was knocked out.

"And it all happened instantly. And she died, and you will never get over that. I don't care what you say to yourself. I don't care who says what. The child is not supposed to die before the parent," she added.

Ladd shared Elizabeth with her then-husband, actor Bruce Dern. The couple met on the off-Broadway play Orpheus Rising and later married in 1960. However, they separated two months after Diane gave birth to their second daughter, Laura Dern, in 1967.

In a 1990 interview with People Magazine, Bruce shared that their daughter's death was "very, very tough" on them.

"I don't think Diane and I had a chance after that," she added.

Two years later, in a 1992 interview with Parade, Diane reflected on the pain that they endured.

"We suffered the tragedy of our daughter's death together and thought another child would help us, but we were so bruised."

In the same interview, Ladd shared that she had not talked about the incident with Laura and did not ask her because "I thought I was gonna hurt you". However, it was a "lesson that I would want to share with everyone, that if we talk it out, there is healing of all kinds," added Diane.

"I didn't want to put [Laura] through that": Diane Ladd on telling Laura Dern about Diane Elizabeth Dern's death

Diane Ladd, a three-time Oscar-nominated actress and Laura Dern's mother, has died at 89 years old.

“My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Ca. She was the greatest daughter, mother,… pic.twitter.com/WhfZeYxrOE

— Variety (@Variety) November 3, 2025

In a 2023 interview with People Magazine, Diane Ladd, who was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive lung disease, in 2018, shared that the toughest conversation she ever had with her daughter, Laura, was about the death of her first child.

"I didn't want to put [Laura] through that. But I wasn't doing her a favor by not sharing that, and I didn't understand that as a mother. I think that was the hardest conversation to talk to her about that experience and the actuality of what it felt like and what her father and I went through. We were starving actors with no money to pull any shades down to keep the ugliness out. It was a horrendous time in our lives." Ladd said.

However, Laura, who shared the news of her mother's passing with The Hollywood Reporter on November 3, 2025, said that her mother opening up was an "amazing, amazing experience. It's changed our relationship, I feel, in the feeling that we can talk about everything."

Revealing the news of her mother's passing, Laura said:

"My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Calif. She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now."

Stay tuned for more updates.