DI WAS KWAAI

REESE Witherspoon has revealed how Diane Keaton helped her take her first steps in Hollywood. 

Keaton passed away at the weekend at the age of 79. 

And while she will be remembered as being the darling of Hollywood rom-coms, Witherspoon revealed that she had a big role to play in her career as well. 

Reflecting on the late actress, Legally Blonde star Witherspoon said they met while she auditioned for the 1991 stuk Wildflower, which was directed by Keaton. 

Witherspoon said: “Diane was really important. “She was one of my first mentors in this business. I was 15 years old and I was from Nashville, Tennessee, and I didn’t know anybody.”  

She added: “I came in - it was maybe my second, maybe my third audition ever. 

“I auditioned for her and she looked at me after -I came in with this big country accent and I was playing this little southern girl - and she goes, 'Who are you?' 

“I said, 'I'm Reese Witherspoon, I'm from Nashville, Tennessee.' 

“And she said, ‘Are you making that up? That accent you're doing?’”

The accent was die waarheid and Witherspoon recalled: “She was like, 'Well, then you're hired. You're hired today, tomorrow and the next day. I don't know who you are but I'm so excited to have you.'” 

As a 15-year-old meisie, Witherspoon had some things to iron out and Keaton was there to help her with it. 

She added: “She really took the time to pull me aside and say, 'stand up straight, OK? I want you to have good posture. If you're gonna be an actress you got to work on your posture’.” 

Leonardo di Caprio , who starred alongside Keaton in the 1996 movie Marvin’s Room added: “"Diane Keaton was one of a kind. Brilliant, funny, and unapologetically herself.”