I've been thinking about death and fame in the aftermath of another celebrity death. Though her family has requested privacy, I'm sure we'll start to hear more about the cause of Diane Keaton's death soon. Rumors of her declining health are already beginning to trickle out.
Does knowing how someone died matter? Whenever a well-known figure dies and the family requests privacy, I find myself struggling with this question. If a person down the street, who I may know by name but am otherwise not involved with personally, suddenly dies, I may feel sadness or empathy, but I'm certainly not entitled to the details of their passing.
But when a celebrity suddenly dies? The word "entitled" may be too strong, but there is a sense that loss of privacy comes with the territory. This is a person who long ago made a kind of bargain with fame. The benefits of fame may be many, but the costs are often high. One of the costs is privacy. And when a celebrity's cause of death isn't disclosed, questions and speculations are inevitable.
Anyway, whatever the cause, it's looking more and more as if she had a complicated end.
May she rest in peace.
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Diane Keaton January 5, 1946 - October 11, 2025
