The Tragic Reason Diane Keaton Always Wore Hats Has to Do With Her Secret Health History Before Her Death
Jason Pham
She was a legend in Hollywood, but Diane Keaton also made a name for herself in the fashion world with her signature style consisting of hats, button-up shirts, and turtleneck sweaters. Little did fans know, however, that Keaton’s style had a tragic reason behind that would resurface after her devastating death.
Keaton, an Oscar-winning actress best known for movies like Annie Hall, The First Wives Club, and The Godfather, was born on January 5, 1946, in Los Angeles, California. After multiple decades in Hollywood, including an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and two Golden Globe Awards, two Emmy Awards nominations, and a Tony Award nomination, Keaton died in her hometown on October 11, 2025, at 79 years old. Not many details have been given about the cause of Keaton’s death, however, her close friends have given clues about her health leading up to her passing.
Songwriter Carole Bayer Sager, a close friend of Keaton‘s, told People that the actress looked noticeably “thin” in the weeks leading up to her passing. recalled seeing Keaton looking noticeably thin less than a month before her death. “I saw her two or three weeks ago, and she was very thin,” Sager said in an interview with People. “She had lost so much weight.”
In her own interview with People in 2024, Keaton described her signature style as “a turtleneck, suit, large belt, and, of course, a hat and glasses.” She continued, “Some things will never change for me.” But why did Diane Keaton always wear a hat? Read on for the emotional reason.
Why did Diane Keaton wear hats?
In an interview with The Los Angeles Times in 2015, Keaton explained that the “many skin cancers” she’s faced throughout her life was the reason she often wore hats, scarves, and clothes with high necks to “protect” her skin from the season. Keaton was diagnosed with basal cell carcinoma, a form of skin cancer, at 21 years old.
“It’s a family history,” she told the Los Angeles Times. “I remember my Auntie Martha had skin cancer so bad they removed her nose. My father had basal skin cancer and my brother had it. It’s tricky with this skin cancer. That’s why you’ve got to put the sunblock on.” She continued, “Back in my 20s I didn’t pay attention much. I didn’t research and didn’t really care and that was stupid because it’s dogged me my entire adult life, even recently. I didn’t start sun care until my 40s.”
After her basal cell carcinoma, Keaton was diagnosed years later with squamous cell cancer, another form of skin cancer, for which she underwent two surgeries for, according to The Los Angeles Times. “Wear sunscreen. You’ve got to put it on,” she told TotalBeauty in an interview before her death, adding that she always carried sunscreen with SPF50 with her after her “serious” skin cancer diagnosis.
She also explained the reason she wore hats and turtlenecks in a 2019 interview with InStyle. “Yes, it’s very protective. It hides a multitude of sins,” she said. “Flaws, anxiety — things like that. I would not feel comfortable in a short skirt or something cut off with my arms hanging out there.” She continued, “And I’ve always liked hats. They just frame a head. But, of course, nobody really thinks they’re as great as I do.”
