Looking back on the life and legacy of Diane Keaton

NEW YORK (CBS, KYMA) - Oscar-winning actress Diane Keaton died over the weekend at the age of 79.

Keaton was, simply put, an icon known for her roles in classic movies, her humor and charm, and her unconventional fashion.

She landed her breakthrough role in Francis Ford Coppola's 1972 masterpiece "The Godfather," playing opposite Al Pacino.

Keaton also acted in eight Woody Allen movies, and as she explained on CBS Sunday Morning in 2010, she liked playing the sidekick.

"He would like have me set up the joke for him, that's what I'm good at. Being the idiot," Keaton said.

Her defining role in the 1977 rom-com "Annie Hall" led her to an Oscar for Best Actress.

Keaton's career spanned decades, with leading roles in beloved comedies like "Father of the Bride," and "Something's Gotta Give," playing characters that challenged and redefined what it meant to be a modern woman on-screen.

But off-screen, Keaton was ever humble.

"I'm like this person that was not expected to do much of anything in life. I feel like I'm very much an ordinary woman. Except...it turns out I'm not because I had all these opportunities," Keaton expressed in a 48 Hours interview back in 2004.

"She was one of my first mentors," said actress Reese Witherspoon, who was holding back tears at an event Saturday. "She is just incredible and indelible."

True to form, here's how Keaton reflected on her career in 2022.

"I don't think about my film legacy. I'm just lucky to have been here at all in any way, shape or form. I'm just fortunate," Keaton shared.