While the world knew Diane Keaton as the Oscar-winning star of classics like “Annie Hall” and “The Godfather,” those who looked a little closer knew her most cherished role was as a mother. Despite a legendary career in Hollywood, Keaton consciously built a family on her own terms, later in life and without a partner. She became a mother in her 50s, adopting two children who became the central focus of her world away from the cameras.
Keaton’s journey to motherhood was a thoughtful decision, not a sudden impulse. She once shared, “Motherhood was not an urge I couldn’t resist,” explaining instead that “it was more like a thought I’d been thinking for a very long time. So I plunged in.” She welcomed her daughter, Dexter, via adoption in 1996, and expanded her family five years later by adopting her son, Duke, in 2001. As a single mother, she never expressed a desire for marriage, famously stating, “I don’t want to be a wife. No.” Her kids provided a new, profound purpose, with Keaton affirming that “Having children is so much more important than everything else I have done.”
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A Closer Look at Dexter and Duke
Dexter Keaton
Diane Keaton’s first child, her daughter Dexter, was adopted soon after her birth in 1995. Keaton has always been a fiercely devoted mom, though she learned to navigate the challenges that come with a growing child. She once humorously noted the shift from childhood affection to teenage independence, telling AARP in 2012, “It takes everything I have sometimes to not snuggle with Dexter. You know, at 16, you don’t want to be snuggly anymore. Sometimes I can pat her hair. Or if I’m lucky, I get a hug.”
Unlike her mother, Dexter has largely stayed out of the public eye. She studied veterinary technology in college and got married to her husband, Jordan White, in 2021. Dexter has used social media to express her love for her mother, once sharing a heartfelt Mother’s Day post that read, “I’m so thankful to have been adopted by such a strong, beautiful, and talented woman.”
Duke Keaton
Diane’s son, Duke, completed her family. He was born in 2000 and adopted by Keaton in 2001. The actress opened up about the transformative worry that comes with parenthood, explaining, “Before kids, if I worried, it was only about myself, but that’s all you do is worry as a parent. It’s rule number one in parenting: secretly worry without letting the kids know you’re worried.” Following in his sister’s footsteps, Duke has also maintained a private life, with only a minimal presence on social media.
Despite their preference for privacy, both Dexter and Duke stood proudly by their mother’s side during one of her career milestones—her hand-and-footprint ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood in 2022. This rare public appearance offered a glimpse into the close-knit family unit they shared.
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Diane Keaton’s legacy is undoubtedly marked by her iconic film roles and unique style. But for those who knew her story, it’s also defined by the deliberate and loving family she created. She chose motherhood on her own schedule, embraced it fully without a partner, and raised two children who, despite growing up with a Hollywood legend for a mom, enjoyed a relatively normal life away from the spotlight. Her love for Dexter and Duke was a quiet, constant force, and they remain the most heartfelt part of her remarkable story.
