Legendary actress Betty White during portrait session on March 29, 2011 at the Museum of Radio and TV in Los Angeles, California.
Betty White passed away aged 99 on New Year’s Eve (Picture: Getty)

Producers of the upcoming documentary Betty White: 100 Years Young have confirmed the intimate feature-length film will go ahead on what would have been the actress’s 100th birthday.

Golden Girls icon Betty White died on New Year’s Eve, aged 99, less than a month before her the actress would have celebrated the big milestone on January 17.

The special will showcase Betty’s outstanding 80-year career on the small screen, with special appearances from Tina Fey, Lin Manuel Miranda, and many more.

Creators Steve Boettcher and Mike Trinklein want the movie to be a celebration of Betty’s life and ‘experience what made her such a national treasure.’

In a statement posted online, they said: ‘Our hearts mourn today with the passing of Betty White.

‘During the many years we worked with her, we developed a great love and admiration for Betty as a person, and as an accomplished entertainer.

Betty White TV Land Awards, Show, Los Angeles, America - 11 Apr 2015
The star would have celebrated her 100th birthday on January 17 (Picture: REX)

‘We are thankful for the many decades of delight she brought to everyone.

‘Betty always said she was the “luckiest broad on two feet” to have had a career as long as she did. And, honestly, we were the lucky ones to have had her for so long.

‘We will go forward with our plans to show the film on January 17 in hopes our film will provide a way for all who loved her to celebrate her life – and experience what made her such a national treasure.’

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Betty’s role as turned her into a household name (Picture: Getty)

Tributes have poured in for the late actress, with Viola Davis writing: ‘RIP Betty White! Man did I think you would live forever. You blew a huge hole in this world that will inspire generations. Rest in glorious peace….you’ve earned your wings.’

Betty’s The Proposal co-star Ryan Reynolds added: ‘The world looks different now. She was great at defying expectations. She managed to grow very old and somehow, not old enough. We’ll miss you, Betty. Now you know the secret.’

Her agent and close friend, Jeff Witjas, confirmed the news of her death, telling People magazine in a statement: ‘Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever.

‘I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again.’