Academy Award-winning actress Diane Keaton stood by filmmaker Woody Allen until her death at the age of 79. Decades of sexual assault allegations and intense public scrutiny did nothing to deter her loyalty to the director.

According to RadarOnline, a close friend described Keaton's unwavering stance. "Folks told Diane just to leave it alone, don't stick your nose into this ugliness," the friend said. "She took his denials at face value, and she didn't give a damn about any blowback she would get."

RadarOnline reports that Keaton, who is most famously known for her title role in Annie Hall (1977), had a personal and professional relationship with Allen since the 1970s and has appeared in eight of his films. The two broke up in 1972, but their working relationship continued, making her a movie star and an offbeat fashion icon.

"A lot of people around Diane told her Woody was toxic and she shouldn't bail him out, but Diane was loyal to Woody," a friend said. "She didn't billboard it, but she always had his back."

Keaton was brought in to replace Mia Farrow in Manhattan Murder Mystery after Farrow left in the wake of accusations that Allen had molested her then-seven-year-old adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. Allen's subsequent marriage to Farrow's former partner Soon-Yi Previn did little to quell public outcry against him.

Following Keaton's death on October 11, Allen expressed deep grief over the loss of a longtime confidante. A source told People, "Woody found his friends and allies dropping like flies, especially when the MeToo movement took wings. He told Diane many times she felt like his only true friend in the world. Losing her and the support she always gave him has just devastated him."

Keaton herself publicly supported Allen on social media. She wrote on Twitter, "Woody Allen is my friend and I choose to believe him."

That Keaton has continued to defend Allen, even after the allegations resurfaced in 2016 during the MeToo movement, speaks volumes about Keaton's staunch loyalty and complicated relationship with the director himself.

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Diane Keaton, Woody allen