Sarah Paulson ignited a torrent of emotions among the Hollywood audience, weaving together tears of sorrow and laughter of amusement, as she unveiled a treasure trove of text messages exchanged with her late friend, Diane Keaton, over the years. The revelation took place during The Hollywood Reporter's annual Women in Entertainment gala, held in the bustling city of Los Angeles on Wednesday.
Standing alongside another friend and former co-star of Keaton's, Goldie Hawn, Paulson paid a poignant tribute to their friend who passed away on October 11th, a day etched in memory as the world collectively mourned her loss.
Their friendship blossomed from their co-starring role in the 1999 film The Other Sister. Paulson recounted how the iconic figure from Annie Hall and First Wives Club was a "class act" who would stay late on set to run lines, even with her then-2-year-old daughter waiting for her at home. "She did ask me, however, if it would mess me up or distract me if she were to take off her costume and get into her street clothes," Paulson shared during the star-studded Hollywood event at the Beverly Hills Hotel. "I wish I had known then that it would involve six pairs of tights, a bowler hat, suspenders, a couple of crinolines, and, in her gloved right hand, a massive glass of red wine on ice."
Paulson revealed that their friendship transcended the film's wrap-up and continued to flourish over the years, with Keaton sending a collection of intimate and hilariously snarky text messages and emails that were shared at the event. The gathering celebrated THR's annual list of the 100 most powerful women in entertainment, a testament to the enduring legacy of friendship and collaboration between Paulson and Keaton.
- “Moron, what is your address? 6:30, Diane Keaton, actress.”
- “Sarah, I hate your phone. It is always full and I can never leave a message.”
- “You sent me an email very recently, but it’s gone. Don’t ask why. Don’t ask what I did. I’m a loser from way back.”
- “Keep me abreast on developments. Diane, one of your friends.”
- “As usual, your voicemail is full. What makes you so fucking popular?”
- “Seriously, [Paulson’s partner, Holland Taylor] was full of energy this morning when we ran into each other. She’s a force, totally charming, unique. You, on the other hand, you are a numbskull. It’s sad, you had so much potential.”
- “Sarah, I saw your movie last night. Your acting was great and you look beautiful. I tried to leave a message, but as usual, your voicemail was full. As usual, I called, as usual, your mailbox is full. As usual, I don’t want to write a message. As usual, I wanna see your face. As usual, I’m leaving town or you’re leaving town, all as usual.”
- “We are so fortunate. Do you love being an actress? I don’t.”
- “You are impossible to contact. I’m going to talk to Holland about you. First of all, you remain unreachable by phone. What the fuck are you doing? One of your very few old friends.”
- “Look, I’ve had it with your phone machine. I’ve tried calling you so many times, it’s creepy. I’ve tried both numbers I have and I can never get a chance to relay what I want to say. Every time I try to call you, I’m rejected. Do you have some secret phone number?”
Paulson then ended her remarks by sharing a touching email she wishes she could send to Keaton today.
“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. I want to tell you everything that happened in my life in the 54 days since you left,” she read. “I want to tell you how the world lost its mind with grief the day you died. 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, Sarah Paulson.”
The 2025 Women in Entertainment gala, presented by Lifetime and hosted by Rachel Sennott, also included the presentation of the Equity in Entertainment Award to Jennifer Lopez, the Sherry Lansing Award to this week’s cover star, Gwyneth Paltrow and a keynote speech by Molly McNearney. (See photos from the event.)
Additional speakers included Dakota Johnson, Regina Hall and Chase Infiniti, who presented $1 million in college scholarships to high school students from underserved communities across L.A.
