Diane Keaton’s Ex, Al Pacino, Has A Regret After Her Death at 79
Both Hollywood and her most well-known ex-lover are deeply saddened by Diane Keaton’s passing. Speaking out now, Al Pacino discusses the one thing he wishes he had done differently.
A past filled with passion, heartache, and the one that escaped, a lifetime of memories. Al Pacino, the man who once won Diane Keaton’s heart, is now facing a reality he can no longer ignore as she makes her last bow at the age of 79.
The renowned actor, who is currently 85 years old, has finally spoken up. Pacino revealed the painful sorrow he has had for decades through a close friend; this remorse has resurfaced in the wake of Keaton’s death on October 11, 2025.
“Looking back, Al admits the love of his life was Diane,” the insider disclosed, adding that Pacino frequently referred to her as “an amazing woman.”
Lost Opportunities, Persistent Remorse
Even with his illustrious career and parade of lovers, Pacino’s heart never really left Keaton. His companion states, “I know he will forever regret he didn’t make his move when he had the chance.”
According to reports, the Oscar-winning actor continued to believe in second chances years after they split up, frequently muttering, “If it’s meant to be, it’s never too late for a do-over.” However, time ran out, as it always does.
Pacino created a bicoastal life that is divided between New York and Los Angeles, where he purchased a house to be near his beloved children. He and Keaton resided in Beverly Hills, only a few miles away, for years, but they never communicated. The emotional detachment? Unfathomable.
According to the buddy, Pacino stated simply, “There’s no need to talk with each other,” when asked why he never got in touch with Keaton again. At the moment, we said everything that needed to be said.
The Farewell That Devastated Her
In her 2011 memoir, “Then Again,” Keaton discussed her split from Pacino in a heartbreakingly honest manner. A double tragedy that would plague her for years, their romance ended just as her father, whom she loved, was dying of brain cancer.
Pacino revealed the truth at a therapy session two months after her father’s passing. According to Keaton, “He never had any intention of marrying me.” The dream ended with those words.
The actor never looked back as he strode into the scorching California sun. He took a plane to New York to visit the George Washington Bridge that same day. Instead of Keaton, Pacino was met at Snedens Landing by his devoted driver Luke and dog, Lucky.
Signs of a Forgotten Love
Four extremely sentimental artifacts were all that were left behind from their years together:
The Shangri-La Hotel’s eight pink slips from 1987 that read “Call from Al.”
A sheet music page for “All I Have to Do Is Dream” that reads “Love Al” at the bottom and “To Di” at the top.
A card for a birthday with the simple words “Love Al.”
The letter said, in part:
“To Di, It’s the most uncomfortable loneliness I’ve had in a long time. I have no idea why this is the case. You may explain that one of the reasons is because you’re in a strange nation and don’t speak the language. But mostly, it’s missing you and our relationship.”
He came to the conclusion:
“I appreciate your note. It was beneficial to me. I think about you a lot, and you are in my thoughts. Al, love.
“I will always love you.”
When Pacino took the podium at the American Film Institute’s 2017 Life Achievement Award ceremony in Keaton’s honor, his voice broke with grief.
He praised the actress as a wonderful artist there, in front of millions of people and Hollywood elite.
In addition, he made the uncommon and intensely private statement, “I love you, forever.”
Keaton, however, had already reconciled with their tense history. According to her memoir, she once offered Pacino the straightforward command, “Marry me, or at least commit to the possibility.”
They reconnected for a year before falling apart again, stuck in a recurring pattern of passion and breakdown.
She mentioned that Pacino never wanted to wed her and that she persisted in her demands. “I wanted more, lots of more,” Keaton wrote. A ton. As much as I wanted him, I wanted him to want me back.
A Dangerous Driver, a Lifetime Crush
Never one to back down from the unvarnished truth, Diane Keaton frequently reflected about her well-known former. She said in a 2017 article that she “had a crush” on Pacino back in 1971, when they collaborated on “The Godfather.” She admitted:
“All three of the ‘Godfathers’ were about one thing to me: Al. That was all there was to it.
His “kinetic” energy and “killer Roman nose,” which she described as “long like a cucumber,” drew her in.
Their courtship in the beginning? Crazy. After teaching him how to drive, she became afraid as he kept pressing the gas pedal. They later made their way to Pacino’s house on the Hudson River, where they enjoyed intimate moments, giggles, and unadulterated bonding.
“I was crazy for him,” she remembered after they started dating. “He was charming, funny, and a constant talker,” he said. “There was a part of him that was like a lost orphan, like this kind of crazy idiot savant.” And it’s so beautiful!”
Close, but not the love of her life
Keaton said that she had been “taken with Al” from the beginning. She later acknowledged that, despite their obvious chemistry, Pacino wasn’t “the love of [her] life.” She described him as “the love of that time of my life.”
She added that each man she dated was from a different decade: Pacino was in her late 30s and early 40s, Warren Beatty was in her 30s, and Woody Allen was in her 20s.
When she mentioned him in public, she stated, “I never see Al now,” with a hint of nostalgia and a sense of closure.
She never will now. What about Pacino? That is something he will always have to deal with.
