Sarah Paulson Honors Diane Keaton With New Tattoo, Birthday Tribute

Sarah Paulson is paying tribute to her late friend, Diane Keaton, with a new tattoo and a message to mark what would have been the legendary actress’ 80th birthday.

On Instagram Monday (Jan. 5), Paulson shared a photo of the tattoo — a simple “DK” initial on her arm — as well as a picture of her and Keaton together. In the caption, Paulson wrote, “You would have been 80 today. Too many deep feelings to put here.”

She continued: “I was the luckiest person in the world to have traveled, laughed so hard we cried, watched a million and one movies, really cried, and eaten French fries with you. You. You. Wondrous, singular, YOU. I will miss you till the end of time.”

Paulson and Keaton — who died last October — first met when they were co-stars in the 1999 Garry Marshall movie The Other Sister, in which Keaton played Paulson’s mother. They remained close over the years, and Paulson offered a glimpse into their friendship while honoring Keaton at The Hollywood Reporter’s annual Women in Entertainment gala last month. 

During her speech, Paulson shared a bunch of text messages Keaton had sent her over the years, all of which were at once warm and acerbic, kind and a playfully combative. For instance, in one message Keaton complained about their profession (“We are so fortunate. Do you love being an actress? I don’t.”), while in another she praised Paulson’s partner, Holland Taylor (“a force, totally charming, unique), before saying of Paulson herself: “You are a numbskull. It’s sad, you had so much potential.” 

Mostly, though, the text messages found Keaton complaining to Paulson about how her voicemail inbox was always full: “As usual, your voicemail is full,” went one text. “What makes you so fucking popular?”

At the end of the tribute, Paulson shared a text she wished she could send Keaton now: “Dear Dum-Dum, I wanna tell you I’m sorry my voicemail was always full. I want to tell you I’m sorry I wasn’t available by the time you called. I want to tell you how much crummier the world is without you in it…  And I want to tell you, I will miss you forever and I continue to be a moron, and I know that you would be heartened to know that. But most of all, I just want to say thank you. Thank you for being my friend.”