Diane Keaton Had One Big Worry About Adopting Her Kids

Diane Keaton lived a full life before her untimely death in October 2025. The "Annie Hall" actor conquered the film industry with a fury, redefining female archetypes and style in Hollywood for nearly six decades. But after solidifying her overwhelming success in the industry, she became a mother. Keaton's parenthood blossomed later in her life, when she adopted her two children, daughter Dexter and son Duke, in her 50s. One of her biggest concerns about motherhood was her age.

"I adopted my children at 50. That is probably too late because I worry I've got to be around for a while," she told Good Housekeeping in 2017 (via Daily Express). In 2012, Keaton also admitted to AARP that her parents' early passings — her mother died of Alzheimer's in her 70s and her father died of brain cancer at 68 — were constantly inspiring anxiety over her own mortality. "When I think about my kids in their 20s and 30s, and me in my 70s and 80s, I worry about that, definitely," she said. "I want to be there for them."

But according to Stephanie Wijkstrom, a psychotherapist and founder of The Counseling and Wellness Center of Pittsburgh, Keaton's older age could actually have been beneficial. "In fact, the data supports that older parents have much to offer, they are more stable, more emotionally mature, and with their careers well-established, they may even have more time to devote to family compared to younger counterparts," Wijkstrom told The List. Additionally, she says that the actor's awareness about her impact on her children was a sign that she was a much more "conscientious" parent than most.

Diane Keaton also felt guilty for never marrying, as she thought her children needed a father. Though she underscored that she didn't think it was "necessary" for her to have gotten married, the "First Wives Club" star told ABC News in 1996 that after adopting her daughter, she wanted her to have a paternal figure in her life. "I think that a daughter should have a father in a perfect world. It's totally important," she said. "I keep looking for male figures ... and I think it would be great if she had a father. And I'm sorry I'm not married, in that sense."

But according to Stephanie Wijkstrom, a child doesn't need two parents to have a nurturing childhood. "A child needs one solid attachment figure for development to unfold in a healthy way, two parents is a bonus," she told us, noting that starting with two parents and losing one over time is more detrimental to their psyche.

Keaton seemingly agreed that she was better off single. She may never have tied the knot, but Keaton's relationship history was a who's who of Hollywood icons, including Woody Allen, Warren Beatty, and Al Pacino. Referencing her past flames, she once told People, "I don't think it would have been a good idea for me to have married, and I'm really glad I didn't, and I'm sure they're happy about it, too."