Diane Keaton’s Book Club costar Ed Begley Jr. exclusively opened up to Us Weekly about her shocking death at age 79.

“I need to control my emotions,” a choked-up Begley, 76, told Us at the Environmental Media Association (EMA) Awards on Saturday, October 11. “I was extremely close to Diane. I loved her a lot.”

The pair first starred together in the 1992 TV movie Running Mates, and more recently appeared in the hit 2018 romantic comedy Book Club, which made more than $100 million at the box office.

Begley held his composure as he remembered Keaton for being “like a sister to me” and “a dear, dear friend” while speaking to Us at the Studio City, California, awards show.

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“It hit me hard when I heard of her passing,” he acknowled

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