Al Pacino reveals his one regret after Diane Keaton’s sudden death
The legendary actor reportedly wishes he had married his longtime love before it was too late
In the days following Diane Keaton’s sudden death, those close to Al Pacino say the actor has been reflecting on their decades-long connection — and on the one decision he can never take back.
Keaton passed away on Saturday, October 11, aged 79, leaving fans and friends stunned. Among those most deeply affected is Al Pacino, who dated Keaton on and off for more than 15 years after they met on the set of The Godfather in 1971.
According to People, songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, a close friend of both stars, said she last saw Keaton “two or three weeks ago,” describing her as “very thin” and noticeably frail after spending time in Palm Springs while her Los Angeles home was being repaired from wildfire damage.
“She was down there for a while,” Sager said. “When she came back, I was kind of stunned by how much weight she’d lost.”
Keaton’s cause of death has not yet been confirmed, but tributes from Hollywood have poured in, with Pacino’s feelings standing out as particularly heartfelt — and full of regret.
“She was the love of his life”
A friend of Pacino told the Daily Mail that the actor now admits he will always regret not marrying Keaton when he had the chance.
“Looking back, Al admits the love of his life was Diane, who he’s always called ‘an amazing woman,’” the friend said. “He will forever regret he didn’t make his move when he had the chance.”
The insider recalled that Keaton once gave Pacino an ultimatum — to commit or walk away. “For years after they split, Al used to say, ‘If it’s meant to be, it’s never too late for a do-over.’ But sadly, now it is,” the friend added.
“They never spoke again”
Despite living just a few miles apart in Beverly Hills, the pair reportedly never reconnected in later years.
“Though he and Diane both lived in Beverly Hills for years, they never spoke,” the insider said. “I once asked him why, and he told me, ‘There’s no need to talk with each other. We said everything that needed to be said at the time.’”
From co-stars to cultural icons
Pacino and Keaton’s on-screen chemistry helped define The Godfather trilogy, where Pacino portrayed Michael Corleone and Keaton played his wife, Kay. Their connection extended far beyond the set, evolving into one of Hollywood’s most talked-about relationships of the 1970s and ’80s.
Keaton went on to win an Oscar for Best Actress in 1977 for Annie Hall, later starring in The First Wives Club, Something’s Gotta Give, and the Book Club films.
Her death marks the loss of one of Hollywood’s most distinctive talents — and, for Pacino, the closing chapter of a love story that might have been.
Rest in peace, Diane Keaton.
