Woody Allen pens emotional tribute to 'most unique' ex Diane Keaton, revealing their close bond before her death at age 79

Woody Allen has honoured his ex, and close friend, Diane Keaton with an emotional essay just days after her death. 

The Oscar-winning actress died on Saturday October 11 at age 79. 

In the heartfelt tribute, which was published by The Free Press, Allen, 89, reminisced on working with Keaton on several movies, turning to her for advice throughout their relationship and his career. 

"It's grammatically incorrect to say 'most unique,' but all rules of grammar, and I guess anything else, are suspended when talking about Diane Keaton," he started. 

"Unlike anyone the planet has experienced or is unlikely to ever see again, her face and laugh illuminated any space she entered."

Allen's first encounter with Keaton was when she auditioned for him and David Merrick for a role in Play It Again, Sam. 

He recalled that she came in, read and "knocked us both for a loop".

At the time Keaton was fresh out of Orange County, but had moved to Manhattan to act, got a job as a coat girl and first landed a small part in the musical Hair, before she eventually got the lead. 

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It didn't take long for Allen and Keaton to fall in love, and they were romantically linked through the 1970s.  

Allen privately confided in her the script for his first film, Take the Money and Run and while he was prepared to be told it wasn't great, her response was the opposite. 

"Its success proved her correct and I never doubted her judgment again," he wrote.

"I showed her every film I made after that and grew to care only about her appraisals.

"As time went on, I made movies for an audience of one, Diane Keaton."

Allen admitted he ignored all reviews of his films, instead he only cared what Keaton had to say.

Elsewhere in the essay the filmmaker praised her talents, including acting, dancing, singing, photography, writing books, collage-making, interior design and film directing.

He also praised her iconic fashion sense, calling it "a sight to behold".

While they were no longer romantically linked, Keaton and Allen stayed close. 

"We had a few great personal years together and finally we both moved on, and why we parted only God and Freud might be able to figure out," he wrote.

Allen – who married his wife Soon-Yi Previn in 1997 – said that Keaton went on to date several "exciting" men that were "more fascinating" than him.

Finishing the emotional piece, Allen wrote that Keaton's passing has "redefined" the world. 

"A few days ago the world was a place that included Diane Keaton. Now it's a world that does not. Hence, it's a drearier world," he wrote. 

"Still, there are her movies. And her great laugh still echoes in my head."

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