Diane Keaton died of pneumonia, family says

American actress Diane Keaton, Oscar winner for her role in Woody Allen's "Annie Hall," died of pneumonia.

The information was released by the Hollywood star's family to People magazine, this Thursday (16), accompanied by a thank you for the messages of support received in recent days.

"The Keaton family is grateful for the messages of love and support they have received on behalf of Diane, who passed away on October 11th from pneumonia," the statement said.

Family members also expressed their hope that donations in the actress's memory would be donated to food projects for homeless people or animal shelters.

"It would be a wonderful and much appreciated tribute," the note adds.

According to a source heard by the magazine, Keaton spent the last few months surrounded by her loved ones and lived discreetly.

She passed away last Saturday (11), aged 79, in California, United States, leaving behind two sons: Dexter and Duke.

Born in Santa Ana, California, Keaton starred in more than 50 films in her career and was one of Allen's favorite actresses, who cast her in classic productions such as "Interiors" (1978) and "Manhattan" (1979), as well as the romantic comedy "Annie Hall" (1977), one of the filmmaker's most celebrated films and which also earned him a Golden Globe.

The star also appeared in Francis Ford Coppola's "The Godfather" trilogy, playing Kay, the second wife of protagonist Michael Corleone (Al Pacino). In addition to her Oscar win, she was nominated three times for Best Actress, most recently in 2004 for "Something's Gotta Give," directed by Nancy Meyers.