The cause of death of Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd, mother of fellow actress Laura Dern, has been announced.
Rudd, who was 89 years old at the time of her death on November 3, died of “acute respiratory failure due to chronic hypoxic respiratory failure,” according to a death certificate obtained by People magazine.
According to the Cleveland Clinic, respiratory failure is a condition in which there is “too much oxygen or too much carbon dioxide” in the body. Health problems can occur acutely (all at once) or chronically (gradually over time).
USA TODAY has reached out to Rudd and Dern’s representatives for comment.
According to People magazine, the actress’ death certificate states that Rudd suffered from interstitial lung disease for several years before her death. Additionally, esophageal motility disorder, a type of gastrointestinal disease, has also been cited as a major contributing factor to her death.
Rudd, who died at her home in Ojai, California, was cremated on November 10, People reported.
Laura Dern mourns the death of her mother Diane Ladd
Born in Laurel, Mississippi, Ladd began acting in the late 1950s on television crime series such as “Decoys” and “Naked City.” She worked steadily for the next ten years, finding success on screen in 1974 when she played prostitute Ida Sessions in Roman Polanski’s classic film noir Chinatown, and in 1989 as Chevy Chase’s proud mother in National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.
Rudd married actor Bruce Dern in 1960, but they divorced nine years later. They had two daughters, Laura and Diane, but the latter died at just 18 months after a tragic pool accident. The mother-daughter duo co-starred in films and TV shows including the dark comedy “Wild at Heart,” the historical drama “Rambling Rose,” David Lynch’s surreal “Inland Empire,” and the HBO drama “Enlightened.”
Dern broke the news of her mother’s death in an emotional statement to The Hollywood Reporter on November 3.
“Diane Ladd, my great hero and my profound gift as a mother, passed by me this morning,” Dern, 58, said. “She was the best daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only a dream could create.”
He added: “We were blessed to have her and she is now flying with the angels.”
Contributed by Brendan Morrow and Patrick Ryan, USA TODAY
