Serendipity or Synchronicity? By Noelle Bartl
The life and career of Diana Ossana (attended) as an American writer and producer is primarily based on her curious mind, writing chops and business sense. However, definitive experiences have influenced her life path and professional journey. After growing up in St. Louis, Missouri, Diana married and moved to Valdosta, Georgia, with her husband, who was attending Air Force pilot training. She worked full-time and saved money to attend Eastern New Mexico University when they were assigned to Cannon Air Force Base, located 17 miles north of Portales. “I looked at a map and began to cry,” Diana recalled. “I was worried we were moving to the middle of nowhere. We packed up our belongings and drove our VW Bug to New Mexico. That
is when I first saw and fell in love with New Mexico with its endless horizon, deep blue sky, the ever-expansive arid high desert landscape and incredible sunsets.” Growing up, the avid reader and writer had a thirst for learning all she could soak up about history. She wanted to understand how the world worked, and individuals’ unique stories fascinated her. By the age of 10, Diana had read over 400 biographies. After moving to Portales, she enrolled at ENMU, taking history, political science and English courses. “I was so nosy and curious about everything,” Diana stated. “My history courses with Dr. Robert Matheny (MA 62, BA 60) gave me a lot of confidence. He opened my eyes that history is best understood when examined from all different points of view,” she recalled. “I am not what one would call a ‘social person,’ and ENMU’s class size was perfect. It was not intimidating to participate and be engaged in the courses. The caliber of instructors was incredible. They were all wonderful.” It was one of her English Composition professors who urged her to become a writer. The Vietnam War disrupted her young marriage and caused her to quit school to move back to St. Louis to be with family. “I should have stayed at ENMU,” Diana acknowledged. “My time there gave me the intellectual confidence to succeed in the world.” And succeed, she did. Diana Ossana is an American writer who collaborated on writing screenplays, teleplays and novels with American novelist, screenwriter and longtime best friend, the late Larry McMurtry. His novels “The Last Picture Show” and “Terms of Endearment” were adapted into films. His Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, “Lonesome Dove,” was adapted into an award-winning television miniseries. In the 1980s, Diana and Mr. McMurtry met at a local all-youcan-eat catfish restaurant in Tucson, Arizona. They connected immediately as writers and friends. Their friendship grew into 35 years of symbiotic writing and collaborations. “We could finish each other’s sentences,” Diana said. “I often thought our connection might be what identical twins experience.” Diana even helped Mr. McMurtry pull through a long battle with depression after his quadruple heart bypass surgery when he chose to stay in her guest bedroom for the next two years. The two co-wrote “Streets of Laredo” (TV miniseries, 1995), “Dead Man’s Walk” (TV miniseries, 1996), “Johnson County War” (TV movie, 2002), “Brokeback Mountain” (screenplay, 2005), “Comanche Moon” (TV miniseries, 2008) and most recently, “Joe Bell” (screenplay, 2020). The film “Brokeback Mountain” was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Picture and won three Academy Awards (Best Writing/Adapted Screenplay, Best Directing and Best Original Score), two BAFTA awards (Best Film and Best Actor in a Supporting Role), three Golden Globe Awards (Best Motion Picture, Best Director and Best Screenplay), two MTV
Photo courtesy Diana Ossana
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Green & Silver | April 2022
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