From an emotional fallout with Al Pacino to a flirty spark with Keanu Reeves — and even a bizarre encounter with Steve Jobs — Diane Keaton’s love life was far from ordinary.
A Star Who Chose Her Own Path
Beloved actress Diane Keaton spent over five decades in Hollywood, admired for her wit, style, and fearless independence. Despite her long list of famous romances, she never married — and she was proud of it.
“I don’t think it would have been a good idea for me to marry,” she once told People. “I’m really glad I didn’t.”
Even in her late seventies, Keaton openly joked she hadn’t dated in years, saying her “uniqueness” might have scared men away. But she didn’t mind — she had built a fulfilling life on her own terms.
Al Pacino and Diane Keaton in a scene from “The Godfather,” circa 1972 | Source: Getty Images
1. Al Pacino: The One Who Got Away
Keaton’s most passionate — and painful — relationship was with Al Pacino, whom she met while filming The Godfather in the early 1970s. Their romance stretched through the ’80s, filled with affection, intensity, and heartbreak.
Diane Keaton’s love life reads like a Hollywood script — passionate, complex, and ultimately defined by independence.
In 1990, Keaton gave Al Pacino an ultimatum: marriage or goodbye. He walked away. “He never had any intention of marrying me,” she later wrote, admitting the breakup shattered her. With time, she accepted it was for the best. “It would have been a nightmare for him,” she reflected.
Before Pacino, she’d shared a tender bond with Woody Allen, her co-star in Annie Hall. Though their romance ended, their friendship endured. “Woody Allen is my friend,” she said simply, defending him even decades later.
During Reds (1981), Keaton fell for Warren Beatty, admiring his brilliance and charm. “He was beautiful, brilliant, and to die for,” she gushed.
Her quieter romance with artist Edward Ruscha stayed out of the spotlight, built on mutual creativity.
She was linked to Steve Jobs, Jack Nicholson, Keanu Reeves, and Richard Gere, but marriage never came. Through it all, Keaton embraced singlehood with grace. “I’m glad I never married,” she said. “I did it my way — and that’s enough.”
