Diane Keaton never married because ‘nobody ever asked me to marry them’

The 45th AFI Life Achievement Award

Last week, Diane Keaton received the AFI Lifetime Achievement Award. A lot of Hollywood heavyweights came out to support her, like Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Silverman, Warren Beatty and… you know, Woody Allen. I didn’t cover those photos because they were sort of boring, but I do like Diane Keaton, wackiness and all. She’s lived quite a life and she’s worked with tons of people. She has a long list of ex-boyfriends too, everyone from Beatty and Woody Allen to Al Pacino and maybe even Jack Nicholson and Sam Shepard. Well, Diane was on Jimmy Kimmel Live on Monday night and they chatted about her friends (she doesn’t have any) and how she never ended up marrying any of the guys she’s known over the years.

She and Jimmy talked about how all of the people who came out for the AFI thing were all of her work colleagues rather than her friends. She says that Meryl Streep, Reese Witherspoon, Sarah Silverman and more are not her friends, and Diane – suddenly realizing it – says, “I don’t really have any friends.” She also says that she wished more men had come to the AFI thing and, “Now I’m a single woman. I was never married. Nobody ever asked me to marry them. I don’t know why. It seems like, you would think…” Kimmel joked that if he was single, he would have asked.

Keaton has famously never been married. I always thought that was her choice, although she’s explained it in different ways over the years. In 2014, she said she never married because “I told myself I wanted to … but I didn’t really want a man that I could have … I wanted the dream.” And now she jokes that she never married because no one ever asked her. I think it’s probably a combination of all of that and more: she realized that her path probably didn’t include being someone’s wife. And no one asked her, because she spent her 20s and 30s dating men who were not looking to be “tied down,” men like Woody Allen and Warren Beatty. As someone who also doesn’t have any need or desire to get married, I’m feeling Diane’s ambivalence in general.

The 45th AFI Life Achievement Award

Photos courtesy of WENN.

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44 Responses to “Diane Keaton never married because ‘nobody ever asked me to marry them’”

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  1. Kitten says:

    Just the fact that she’s still able to pull off her signature style is a feat in and of itself. Like, how does she manage to look wacky/quirky yet polished/classy at the same time?

    Never change, Diane.

    • Char says:

      Because it’s style, she is this, she isn’t faking it.

    • Bachelorpod says:

      I have spent time with her in person and she is utterly gorgeous. One high-style dame.

    • tracking says:

      +2 I’ve always found her so unique and charming. Who cares about her marital status (if she doesn’t) but I do find it odd that she doesn’t have any close friends. A true loner?

  2. Grant says:

    Love her. Something’s Gotta Give is one of my all-time faves.

    • Tiffany says:

      Her and Keanu were great together. Totally bought the chemistry.

    • Who ARE These People? says:

      Her telling Jack Nicholson, “It goes fast…” during their walk on the beach…caught my breath.

  3. Radley says:

    Marriage ain’t for everybody. You can’t look at her life and say, “Boy she missed out.” Nope, she’s had an interesting and full life, no ring required. And I say that as a boring married lady. LOL

  4. Nancy says:

    My fav of her movies is Looking For Mr. Goodbar. It was so dark, but she was the polar opposite of her Annie Hall ditz. I don’t know if she made the choice to do more comedic films, other than the one I mentioned and all three Godfathers (all early in her career) but she was an amazing actress. Except for the one, she really had some of her days best guys, Warren Beatty and Al Pacino who said she was the love of his life. Marriage isn’t for everyone. Ladidah

  5. marigold says:

    She’s fab and such an old flirt. I saw her on graham norton too recently and she also stole the show there.

  6. TomatoGirl says:

    Has she never coupled, lived with anyone? I think of it as marriage these days.

    • Hazel says:

      Oh, yes, as several have said, she lived with Woody Allen, Al Pacino, and Warren Beatty. I grew up with her films & wonderful, wacky style throughout my teens & early 20s. Diane is one of the all-time greats.

  7. Birdie says:

    Sorry, she seems nice, but I can’t with people who are friends with *disgusted face* Woody Allen.

    • FishBeard says:

      Yep. Anyone whose continued to support Allen or his films is ultimately complicit in silencing and disregarding the voices of sexual abuse victims.

      • Alleycat says:

        Agreed. I can’t get over her consistent support of Woody. So gross and disrespectful.

    • Aren says:

      She supports Woody Allen? Eww, I just lost interest in her too, I’m out.

    • Bachelorpod says:

      If you start hating anyone who’s ever been the friend of a suspected criminal, you pretty much wipe out the entire population. Good luck with that attitude.

  8. crazydaisy says:

    Adorable to infinity…love Diane Keaton! I hope she is happy. And that she really does have some friends. Husbands are good (sometimes, for some people, I hear) but friends are better. Friends are for always. x

    • Bachelorpod says:

      Friendships, like marriages, also have a lifespan — the length of which no one can predict.

  9. Scooch says:

    I learned last night that men are just not worth my time and energy. They are all overgrown babies who need to be mommied and coddled. I too have never been interested in marriage and after last night I’m not even intetested in a relationship anymore. No woman needs a man. For ANYTHING.

  10. pinetree13 says:

    I can see not having a husband…but not having any close friends either? Yikes, that’s no life.

  11. babs says:

    It bugs me when people ask ‘why aren’t you married?’ As if its abnormal and you have to defend yourself or something. Its so dumb. I have tons of older friends who aren’t married. I just now say ‘It never occurred to me that being single wasn’t ok.’

    • Seb says:

      I’m 47 and have been asked numerous times why I’m not married. I don’t have anything against marriage, I’ve just never met anyone I wanted to hook up with permanently. I’m fortunate that I’ve never had any pressure from my family on that score, but society seems to think I’m somehow defective.

    • Eleonor says:

      36. Not married.
      I have a history of long relationship (serial monogamist) and I am happy like this. It’s awkward to explain why if you are in a longterm stable relationship you don’t get married. I am fine, he is fine, we are both very committed to each other and that’s all.

    • Ange says:

      I did get married at 33 but always figured I never would so it was a surprise even to me! Before then I always said similar to your reply but man you nailed it, word perfect. I hope it put those nosy parkers in their place.

    • Sabrine says:

      One husband will be enough for me. These old guys who want to date you are looking for someone to cook their meals, clean their house, do their laundry and be their nursemaid. Not going to happen.

  12. smcollins says:

    Love her! She’s definitely one of my all-time favorite actresses. A true icon.

  13. Ozogirl says:

    She looks great! I must admit that I’ve never been a fan of her as an actress though… I think Father of the Bride is the only movie I could tolerate her in…

  14. Parigo says:

    I love her Pinterest, it’s all interior design. She has great taste.

  15. Suzanne says:

    What we don’t know about Diane Keaton is that she might be a total nightmare in private life. She sure seems nice enough…but she IS an ACTRESS and perhaps we, the public viewing audience only see what she WANTS us to see when she’s interviewed. She reminds me in looks, minus the wardrobe get-ups, of my dearly departed mother inlaw. Both very attractive women. I’ve always enjoyed her in the movies…especially in Somethings Got To Give.

    • annaz says:

      I’ve worked for/with Ms. Keaton on occasion, and she really is that lovely, intelligent, funny, kind. Great mother, too. She’s just how she seems.

  16. Suzanne says:

    What we don’t know about Diane Keaton is that she might be a total nightmare in private life. She sure seems nice enough…but she IS an ACTRESS and perhaps we, the public viewing audience, only see what she WANTS us to see when she’s interviewed. She reminds me in looks, minus the wardrobe get-ups, of my dearly departed mother inlaw. Both very attractive women. I’ve always enjoyed her in the movies…especially in Somethings Got To Give.

  17. KatM says:

    It reminds me of when people ask me why I don’t have children. I feel like saying: A) it is none of your business and B) I don’t want to.

  18. Wdstkbee says:

    The worst question is, when ya getting married? I effin hated that!! Always from men of course.

  19. The bee says:

    These postings make me so sad. My husband is my forever and my best friend.
    I have severe lupus and he has taken care of me for almost 40 years. Meaning bed pans during flares, taking me to appts, taking care of all household duties, etc. He still says he loves me and believe you me I have not weathered well though decades of lupus. Not telling you this to brag but to explain my point. What I am saying is if you make up your mind to GENERALIZE men you will never find a gem, just rocks.

  20. Lisa says:

    lol, she wanted Al to put a ring on it so badly, and I can’t say I blame her. Her affiliation with and affection for Woody after all these years would be the only thing that would keep me from trusting her completely… She seems like she’d be a fun friend otherwise.

  21. shura says:

    Sad. She’s said she wanted desperately to marry Pacino, even going so far as to give him The Ultimatum. He turned her down.

    • LaDiabla says:

      Yes, made me sad for her too – I think even Al referred to her as his best friend. I remember hearing him relating a really funny story about her which was evident of how much she looked out for him during a downturn in his career. Things like that just make me think men don’t want to grow old with their best friend anymore (and she’s always been pretty), but it’s all just younger, hotter, more money. Everything is about status now.

  22. What's Inside says:

    I remember when she was with Al Pacino and it seemed to me that she really wanted to marry him, but he would not commit. Then he went with Beverly DeAngelo and had twins. Of course, he did not marry her either. One of my favorite roles she played was in Something’s Got to Give where she explains to Jack Nicholson what a breaking heart feels like and the last bit was really the truth.