Offering words of wisdom

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Diane Ladd

Actress Diane Ladd has written a book about what she has learned in life called “Spiraling Through the School of Life.” Ladd will speak at the Women in Film Malibu Breakfast on July 14.

By Lori Allen / Special to The Malibu Times

Actress Diane Ladd has lived an eventful life, and along the way she has gained lots of wisdom on life. Ladd, 64, has now put that information into her new book, “Spiraling Through the School of Life.”

“It is not easy to spiral up, which is why I wrote the book,” said Ladd from her home near Santa Barbara.

Writing a book was always something she wanted to do. She would be asked to make speeches about pragmatic suggestions for living a more spiritual life at health expos, spa resorts, and medical conventions. After guest lecturing and passing out dozens of fliers with motivational sayings, the cost of photocopying fees became quite a burden so she needed to find an alternative solution-a book.

Throughout the book she reinforces her life motto, “have a little faith, kick a little dirt.” For her, spirituality is “using the talent that God gave her.” Mixing personal experiences with inspiring messages that teach people who have been stricken with disease, tragedy and grief to learn how to heal the hurt, Ladd makes it known that life has tried to kick her down on more than a few occasions.

Like a true Sagittarius, she keeps on plowing through optimistically. Besides lifting up people’s spirits, Ladd maintains inner peace by meditating daily, practicing yoga with her husband of seven years, businessman Robert Charles Hunter, and caring for her cat and dogs.

Currently, Ladd is a member of the Board of Advisors for The National Foundation of Alternative Medicine. For many years, she collaborated with renowned doctors and health practitioners worldwide practicing holistic and traditional medicines to cure those that are ill or are seeking transformation.

It took four years for Ladd to put together the right material to help get her message across to the masses. She said she had to be careful not to have a publisher sensationalize her story. The decision to be published by Hayhouse gave her the necessary tools to communicate her medical philosophies and alternative healing methods effectively.

In her book, Ladd also writes about coping with the loss of her first born, repairing strained family relations, finding love again after enduring painful relationship break-ups, divorcing actor Bruce Dern, financially struggling as a single mother, overcoming physical health ailments and the harsh politics continuously haunting the entertainment industry.

Ladd intimately tells her tales to readers hoping that they would catch on to the moral lesson for spiraling up. When approaching a problem, handle it like a pro so you do not hang out on a limb, she said. “Approach it lovingly and in harmony. I encourage you to express your opinion but don’t let people invade your life with negativity.”

Ladd and her daughter, Laura Dern, made Hollywood history for being the first mother and daughter acting duo to be nominated for an Oscar in the same film. Academy voters nominated Dern for Best Actress and Ladd for Best Supporting Actress at the 1992 Academy Awards for their performances in “Rambling Rose,” but neither won.

“After being nominated for Rambling Rose, it was like God is speaking to you,” Ladd said. “But you have to be old enough to know Oscar is just gold, besides feeding the ego. If the work is on a higher level to keep lifting mankind, then you got to share the good.”

However, the Mississippi-born actress has been the recipient of 23 awards, including a Golden Globe for her role as Belle Dupree in the popular ’70s sitcom, “Alice,” a BAFTA film award for best supporting actress for her role as Flo in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore,” and a best supporting actress win at the Independent Spirit Awards for her performance in “Rambling Rose.”

Not afraid to fight for the underdog, Ladd serves on many civic organizations in order to give back to the community. She is the president of the Arts and Cultural Taskforce, an organization aimed at promoting arts and culture in the United States. It pushed President Bush to sign a tax incentive in 2004 to allow film investors to invest in films as tax-deductable donations. Ladd said this bill gave more independent films the chance to be made in North America, giving production crews the opportunity to earn money in their own country rather than having to travel oversees. After the bill was passed, small businesses thrived through American-made films.

Ladd recently starred with Anthony Hopkins in “The World’s Fastest Indian.” Later this year, Ladd can be seen in two independent films; “Come Early Morning” with Ashley Judd and “When I find the Ocean.” She is currently working on the pre-production of the “Women Inside,” a film about her longtime friend Martha Mitchell, wife of former United States Attorney General John Mitchell.

Women In Film Malibu will be honoring Diane Ladd at its monthly breakfast on July 14 from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Chart House Restaurant, located at 18412 Pacific Coast Highway. Ladd will be autographing her book and offering strategies for people to lead healthier lives. For more information, call 457.8664.