Diane Ladd and Cheryl Ladd are both well-known actresses who rose to fame in the 1970s. They have also worked together in some TV movies, such as “Grace Kelly” and “Bluegrass”. But are they related by blood or marriage? The answer is no. Despite their similar surnames, they have no familial connection. Here is how they got their names and why they are not related.
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Diane Ladd: From Ladner to Ladd
Diane Ladd was born as Rose Diane Ladner on November 29, 1935, in Laurel, Mississippi. Her parents were Preston Paul Ladner, a veterinarian, and Mary Bernadette Anderson, an actress and housewife. She is of Irish, Scottish, German and Cherokee ancestry. She is also related to playwright Tennessee Williams and poet Sidney Lanier.
Diane shortened her surname from Ladner to Ladd when she started her acting career in the 1950s. She has appeared in over 120 film and TV roles, earning three Oscar nominations for “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore”, “Wild at Heart” and “Rambling Rose”. She is also the mother of actress Laura Dern, whom she had with her first husband, actor Bruce Dern. They divorced in 1969, and Diane married twice more. She is currently married to Robert Charles Hunter since 1999.
Cheryl Ladd: From Stoppelmoor to Ladd
Cheryl Ladd was born as Cheryl Jean Stoppelmoor on July 12, 1951, in Huron, South Dakota. Her parents were Marion Stoppelmoor, a railroad engineer, and Dolores Katz, a waitress. She is of German descent. She started her career as a singer, using the name Cherie Moor. She also voiced Melody in the cartoon “Josie and the Pussycats”.
Cheryl adopted the surname Ladd when she married her first husband, actor David Ladd, in 1973. They had a daughter together, Jordan, who was born in 1975. They divorced in 1980, and Cheryl kept her stage name as Ladd. She later married music producer Brian Russell in 1981.
Cheryl became famous for replacing Farrah Fawcett as one of the “Charlie’s Angels” in 1977. She played Kris Munroe, the younger sister of Fawcett’s character Jill. She stayed with the show until it ended in 1981. She also pursued her music career, releasing several albums and singles. She has also appeared in many TV movies and shows, such as “Grace Kelly”, “Bluegrass”, “Las Vegas” and “The People v. O.J. Simpson: American Crime Story”.
No Relation Between Diane Ladd and Cheryl Ladd
As you can see, Diane Ladd and Cheryl Ladd have different birth names, origins and backgrounds. They are not related by blood or marriage. They just happen to share a common surname that they both acquired from their former husbands.
They have worked together in two TV movies: “Grace Kelly” in 1983, where Cheryl portrayed Grace Kelly and Diane played her mother, Margaret, and 1988’s “Bluegrass”. According to Celeb Answers, they have also been friends for a long time and have supported each other’s careers.
So, the next time someone asks you if Diane Ladd is related to Cheryl Ladd, you can confidently say no. They are just two talented actresses who happen to have the same last name.