Bette Midler is still reminiscing about cherished moments spent with the late Diane Keaton following her passing.
During her appearance on the Thursday, October 16, edition of Watch What Happens Live With Andy Cohen, Midler, 79, was prompted to share her most treasured memory involving Keaton.
“My most special [memory] was undoubtedly, First Wives Club. We enjoyed ourselves immensely on that project,” Midler stated. “I believe that was the most fun I’ve ever experienced because those two women [Keaton and costar Goldie Hawn], with their antics, had me in stitches daily. I was literally crying from laughter.”
She continued, “We had an absolutely wonderful experience.”
The news of Keaton’s death at the age of 79 broke on Saturday, October 11. While initial details were scarce, her family verified through a spokesperson on Wednesday, October 15, that Keaton’s death was due to pneumonia.
In the wake of the sorrowful announcement, Midler expressed only admiration for Keaton, showering the actress with praise while speaking with host Andy Cohen on Thursday’s WWHL.
“I was introduced to her many years ago. A friend introduced us, and I’ve always been captivated by her. She possessed such uniqueness, such a special quality, so authentically herself and impossible to replicate,” she recounted. “I even tried to emulate her style, that sort of… that bubbly [style]. I was unsuccessful. No one could pull it off. And while I’ve seen others come close, none have truly captured that authentic… that genuine spirit that she [had]. She’s an incredibly remarkable and extraordinary personality.”
Bette Midler, Goldie Hawn and Diane Keaton. (Photo by Getty Images)
Earlier in the week, Midler expressed similar feelings during her appearance on The Late Show With Stephen Colbert on Tuesday, October 14.
“She was an absolute genius,” Midler commented. “There was an inexplicable magic about her … she was uniquely herself and unmatched. She embodied authenticity.”
Midler further added that she initially felt intimidated by Keaton upon their first encounter.
“I hold a cherished memory of her alongside Goldie … I had neither worked with nor met them prior, and we found ourselves seated at a cafe … around a circular table, and I felt quite intimidated,” Midler shared with Stephen Colbert. “As a relative newcomer, I was slightly overwhelmed. We settled in, and they began sharing stories, and I must say, I’ve never laughed so heartily in my life. It was both brilliant and magical.”
Midler, Keaton, and Hawn portrayed former college best friends in First Wives Club, uniting to take a stand against their ex-husbands. The acclaimed 1996 film was adapted from Olivia Goldsmith’s 1992 novel of the same title.
Prior to her appearances on late-night television, Midler honored Keaton with a heartfelt post on Instagram on Saturday, October 11.
“The brilliant, beautiful, extraordinary Diane Keaton is no longer with us,” Midler expressed alongside a photograph of Keaton. “Words cannot convey the depth of my sorrow. She possessed humor, originality, and complete sincerity, untouched by the competitiveness one might anticipate from such a luminary. What you perceived was her authentic self…oh, la, lala!”
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