Al Pacino speaks out on Diane Keaton’s death for the first time in emotional statement

Al Pacino has broken his silence on Diane Keaton's death and issued a heartbreaking statement about how she 'influenced the direction' of his life.

It was announced on Saturday (11 October) that the Oscar-winning actress had died at the age of 79, with her family later revealing her cause of death as pneumonia.

Keaton was a Hollywood icon and was best known for her roles in the movies The Godfather, The First Wives Club and Woody Allen's Annie Hall, which she won an Academy Award for.

She and Pacino starred in The Godfather together as Michael Corleone and Kay Adams-Corleone and they also had a real-life on-and-off romance between 1974 and 1990.

Now, Deadline has confirmed that the actor, 85, has been processing the news while filming a movie in Paris.

Yesterday (October 16) he issued a statement to the publication, reading: "When I first heard the news, I was shaken.

Al Pacino has reflected on his relationship with the late Diane Keaton in a heartbreaking statement (FREDERIC J. BROWN/AFP via Getty Images)

"Diane was my partner, my friend, someone who brought me happiness and on more than one occasion influenced the direction of my life."

He heartbreakingly added: "Though over 30 years has past since we were together, the memories remain vivid, and with her passing, they have returned with a force that is both painful and moving.

"She lived without limits, and everything she touched carried her unmistakable energy.

"She opened doors for others, inspired generations and embodied a once-in-a-lifetime gift that radiated through her work and her life."

Pacino wrote: "People will miss her, but more than that, they will remember her. She left a mark that cannot fade. She was unstoppable, resilient and above all, deeply human. I will always remember her. She could fly - and in my heart, she always will."

Keaton told People in 2017 that she 'had a crush' on Pacino when they started working together.

They soon became a couple, and speaking about their relationship, she gushed: "I was mad for him. Charming, hilarious, a nonstop talker.

"There was an aspect of him that was like a lost orphan, like this kind of crazy idiot savant. And oh, gorgeous!"

Keaton died aged 79 on Saturday, with her cause of death confirmed as pneumonia (Gilbert Flores/Getty Images)

However, the actress explained to the publication that he wouldn't pop the question and so she gave him an ultimatum, bringing the relationship to an end.

Keaton admitted: "I worked hard on that one. I went about it in not a perfect way."

The actress never got married and embraced her independence, welcoming two children via adoption in her 50s and raising them as a single mother - daughter Dexter, 29, and son Duke, 25.

She told People in 2019 that despite having a series of long-term relationships, it would not 'have been a good idea' for her to get married.

Keaton said: "Today I was thinking about this. I'm 73 and I think I'm the only one in my generation, and maybe before, who has been a single woman all her life."

She had had no regrets on the big life decision and is 'really glad' she never tied the knot, joking that as for her former partners: "I'm sure they’re happy about it, too."

The actress recalled: "I remember one day in high school, this guy came up to me and said, 'One day you're going to make a good wife.' And I thought, 'I don't want to be a wife. No'."