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Q: Does anyone else see a resemblance between HGTV's Leanne Ford ("Restored by the Fords") and actress Diane Keaton? Are they related?

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Author: 
Adam Thomlison / TV Media

They aren't related, but as for whether anyone else has seen the resemblance, yes, they have. The L.A. Times called it "uncanny," and the New York Times compared both their "looks and sunny demeanor." But someone even more important sees it too: Leanne Ford herself.

When the L.A. Times confronted her with the comparison, she said she was "honored," but that she was already aware of it, and had even brought it up with Keaton herself.

"I met her at a party here in L.A., and she told me, 'Oh, you're sooo cute!' And I said, 'That's 'cause I look like you!'"

Ford is pretty new to the spotlight compared with her film-famous doppelganger. Keaton has been a superstar since the 1970s, with her roles in the 1977 comedy classic "Annie Hall" and as Kay in "The Godfather" (1972).

Ford, on the other hand, only burst onto the reality TV scene in 2016 with "Restored by the Fords," the DIY show she stars in with her actual relative, brother Steve Ford. She's done quite a lot in that time, though -- enough to get her invited to the sorts of parties Keaton attends. Leanne's show is a smash hit for HGTV, and that's led to her getting appearances in two other reality shows, "Building Brady" and "Brother vs. Brother." 

All that success and attention (including the fawning newspaper profiles mentioned above) has been good for her interior design business, too. Her name has become a brand -- for example, she now has her own line of lighting being produced and sold by Target department stores.

Incidentally, though Ford may be "honored" by it, all this talk of the "uncanny" resemblance is quite a compliment to Keaton as well -- Keaton, 73, is nearly twice the age of Ford, 37.

 

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