Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress, who is the recipient of numerous accolades, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.

Laura Dern
Dern in 2017
Born
Laura Elizabeth Dern

(1967-02-10) February 10, 1967 (age 57)
Occupations
  • Actress
  • producer
Years active1973–present
Spouse
(m. 2005; div. 2013)
Children2
Parents
RelativesGeorge Dern (great-grandfather)
Andrew MacLeish (great-great-grandfather)
Archibald MacLeish (great-granduncle)
AwardsFull list
Signature

Born to actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, Dern embarked on an acting career in the 1980s, and rose to prominence for her performances in Mask (1985), and in David Lynch's films Blue Velvet (1986) and Wild at Heart (1990). She received her first Academy Award nomination for her role of the titular orphan in the drama film Rambling Rose (1991), and her first Golden Globe win for her performance in the television film Afterburn (1992). She achieved international recognition for her role as Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg's adventure film Jurassic Park (1993), a role she later reprised in the sequels, Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022).

After winning two Golden Globes for her performances as Katherine Harris in the television film Recount (2008), and Amy Jellicoe in the comedy series Enlightened (2011–2013), Dern garnered her second Academy Award nomination for her performance as the mother of Cheryl Strayed in the biopic Wild (2014). In 2017 and 2019, she played Renata Klein in the drama series Big Little Lies, winning a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award, and reunited with Lynch for Twin Peaks: The Return. She had supporting roles in the films Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Little Women (2019), and Marriage Story (2019). Her performance as a divorce lawyer in Marriage Story won her an Academy Award and her fifth Golden Globe Award.

Early life

edit

Laura Elizabeth Dern was born on February 10, 1967, in Los Angeles, California.[1][2][3][4] The daughter of actors Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern and great-granddaughter of former Utah governor and Secretary of War George Dern, she was conceived while her parents were filming The Wild Angels.[2] Poet, writer, and Librarian of Congress Archibald MacLeish was her great-great-uncle. After her parents divorced when she was two years old, Dern was largely brought up by her mother and maternal grandmother, Mary, who had Norwegian ancestry, from Oslo.[5] She was raised Catholic.[5] Her godmother was actress Shelley Winters.[6] She developed scoliosis as a child.[7]

Her first film foray was an appearance as an extra in White Lightning (1973), a film in which her mother starred.[8] Her official film debut was an appearance opposite her mother in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974).[9] In 1982, Dern, aged just 15, served as Miss Golden Globe.[10] In the same year, she portrayed a rebellious rock band member in the cult film Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains.[11] At 16,[12] after doubling on her classes to graduate high school a semester early,[13] she sought and attained emancipation,[14] which allowed her to work the same number of hours as an adult on films.[8] After moving out of her home at the age of 17, Dern became roommates with Marianne Williamson, who is 15 years older. Dern later enrolled at UCLA intending to double major in psychology and journalism, but withdrew two days into the semester to film Blue Velvet.[13]

Career

edit

1980–1999: Career beginnings and breakthrough

edit

Dern got her first credited role, Debbie, appearing alongside Jodie Foster in the 1980 coming-of-age film Foxes. At the age of 11, she had originally auditioned for a different role after telling casting directors that she was 14.[15][13][16] In 1985, she was cast two weeks before production began as protagonist Connie Wyatt, a carefree 15-year-old girl who grabs the attention of a predatory stranger, in the film Smooth Talk. The film won the Grand Jury Prize at the Sundance Film Festival in the Dramatic category in 1986[17] and received largely favorable reviews. It is seen as the film that launched Dern's career.[18]

Between 1985 and 1990, Dern gained critical acclaim for her performances in Mask, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart. The latter two of which were directed by David Lynch, which began a longstanding collaboration between Dern and Lynch.[19] In the biographical drama film Mask, she played Diana Adams, a blind girl who becomes Rocky Dennis' love interest, starring alongside Eric Stoltz and Cher. At the age of 16, she played Sandy Williams, one of the starring roles alongside Kyle MacLachlan and Isabella Rossellini, in the critically successful mystery thriller film Blue Velvet. It is widely regarded as Dern's breakthrough performance.[20][21]

In 1990, Dern once again collaborated with Lynch, and starred opposite Nicolas Cage in the black comedy crime film Wild At Heart, in which Dern played a vastly different character from her previous role in Blue Velvet. Dern called the role an opportunity 'to play not only a very sexual person, but also someone who was, in her own way, incredibly comfortable with herself'.[22] The film, which had won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, was met with generally positive reviews from critics, but polarized some audiences at the time.[16] Lynch cast Dern's mother, Diane Ladd, in a supporting role for the film.[23]

Dern auditioned for the role of Clarice Starling in The Silence of the Lambs (1991), but lost the role due to studio's skepticism about her level of fame at the time.[24][25] In 1992, Dern and Ladd, became the first mother and daughter to be nominated for Academy Awards for acting in the same film for their performances in Rambling Rose. Ladd received a Best Supporting Actress nomination, and Dern received one for Best Actress.[26] The following year, she won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film and received her first Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie for her performance in the 1992 television film Afterburn.[27][28]

Dern played Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Jurassic Park, achieving international recognition with the role.[29] Dern, who had been more focused on independent films prior to the film, was Spielberg's first choice for the role of Ellie, after having been impressed with her work in Smooth Talk and Rambling Rose.[30] She was influenced by Cage to take the role,[31] and called the decision an "easy yes", recalling how Spielberg and producer Kathleen Kennedy made sure the character was a "no-nonsense feminist who had her own independent spirit and was brilliant in her craft", and wasn't an "oversexualized action heroine" while describing filming to be similar to an independent film.[30][32]

That same year, Clint Eastwood contacted Dern for the film A Perfect World. After the release of Jurassic Park, Dern was offered many roles in blockbuster films, but to avoid typecasting ultimately chose to star in Alexander Payne's directorial debut black comedy film Citizen Ruth. In the film, she played a pregnant drug addict who unexpectedly attracts national attention from those involved in the abortion debate. It debuted at Sundance Film Festival to critical acclaim for the film and for Dern's performance, but only received a limited release from Miramax, likely due to its controversial topic.[33][34][35] Ladd made a cameo appearance, playing her mother for the third time, following Rambling Rose and Wild At Heart, with Dern's character screaming a torrent of abuse at her.

In 1997, Dern was asked by Ellen DeGeneres to guest star as Susan Richmond, a lesbian who helps Degeneres' character, Ellen Morgan, come out of the closet in "The Puppy Episode" of the sitcom Ellen, while DeGeneres herself came out at the same time offscreen. Despite protests from people around her, she shrugged off concerns and immediately accepted the role,[36] where she received her third Primetime Emmy Award nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series.[37] The decision significantly impacted her career in the following years with Dern revealing in an April 2007 airing of The Ellen DeGeneres Show that she did not work for more than a year and that she needed a "full security detail" following her appearance in the historic episode due to the resulting backlash at the time, but nevertheless called it an "extraordinary experience and opportunity" and "an incredible honor."[29][38] The following year, Dern co-starred in the television film The Baby Dance, for which she received a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film. While dating Billy Bob Thornton in 1999, Dern played the love interest in his film Daddy and Them, which also includes Ladd. In Joe Johnston's biographical drama film October Sky, Dern played the teacher who is involved about amateur rocketry, launched by NASA engineer Homer Hickam (Jake Gyllenhaal).

2000–2011: Further film and television career

edit
 
Dern at Civic Center Park in 2008

In 2000, Robert Altman cast Dern in his comedy Dr. T & the Women. In 2001, Dern reprised her role as Ellie in Jurassic Park III, which was directed by Johnston whom she had worked with in October Sky. Originally hesitant to return for a cameo, Dern was convinced when it was suggested by executive producer Steven Spielberg to the writers, Alexander Payne and Jim Taylor who had previously collaborated with Dern for Citizen Ruth, to have the character play an important role by saving the other characters.[39] That same year, she co-starred in Within These Walls and Arthur Miller's Focus. She starred in the film I Am Sam as Randy Carpenter, a woman running a foster home. In 2002, she starred in the film Damaged Care. In 2004, she starred in the film We Don't Live Here Anymore. Dern starred in the 2005 film Happy Endings, and in the same year, she appeared in the film The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio.

In 2006, Dern reunited with director David Lynch for the third time after Blue Velvet and Wild At Heart in the experimental film Inland Empire which was largely shot on a hand-held Sony DSR-PD150 by Lynch himself and without a complete screenplay.[40] Dern portrays an actress, Nikki Grace, who starts to take on the personality of the character she plays. The film debuted at the Venice Film Festival to polarized reviews, the majority being positive, where Dern admitted that she was not sure what the film was about, but has said she would sign up for any project with Lynch.[41] In the same year, Dern portrayed a supporting role in Lonely Hearts. Mike White, known for writing School of Rock and The Good Girl, hired Dern for his directorial debut in 2007, the comedy titled Year of the Dog, and starring Molly Shannon, John C. Reilly and Peter Sarsgaard. In 2008, Dern starred as Florida Secretary of State Katherine Harris in Recount, for which she won the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film.[42] The following year, Dern appeared in the independent drama Tenderness,[43] and in 2010, she appeared in Little Fockers, portraying Prudence, an elementary school principal.[44]

In November 2010, Dern and her parents Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern were presented with stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, becoming the first family to do so.[45] In October 2011, she starred in a new HBO comedy-drama television series titled Enlightened in which she also served as co-creator and executive producer.[46] Dern played Amy Jellicoe, a "health and beauty executive who returns from a post-meltdown retreat to pick up the pieces of her broken life." Dern brought screenwriter Mike White, whom she collaborated with on Year of the Dog, back into television work after he had suffered an on-the-job meltdown of his own.[47] The series received critical acclaim and lasted two seasons. Dern's mother Diane Ladd plays the major supporting role of Helen Jellicoe, Dern's character's mother in the series. Dern received her third Golden Globe Award and fifth nomination, her first in the Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy category for her performance.[48] She was also nominated for her fifth Primetime Emmy Award, her first in the Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series category.[49]

2012–present: Later career and acclaim

edit

In 2012, Dern starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's psychological drama film The Master.[50] In 2014, she co-starred alongside Reese Witherspoon in Jean-Marc Vallée's biographical drama film Wild portraying the character of Bobbi, mother of Cheryl Strayed in flashback scenes, for which she received her second Academy Award nomination and her first in the Best Supporting Actress category. That same year, she portrayed Frannie Lancaster in the coming-of-age romance film The Fault In Our Stars and she portrays Beverly Ladouceur in the sports drama film When the Game Stands Tall directed by Thomas Carter, starring Jim Caviezel and produced by David Zelon for Mandalay Pictures.[51] She portrayed Lynn Nash, a widowed mother and grandmother who gets evicted with her family, in 2014's 99 Homes alongside Andrew Garfield.[52]

In 2017, Dern reteamed with both Witherspoon and Vallée from Wild and The Fault In Our Stars co-star Shailene Woodley for the 2017 HBO miniseries Big Little Lies, the latter who Dern had helped convince to join the cast.[53] For her portrayal as Renata Klein in the series, Dern won her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and her fourth Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made for Television.[54][55][56] That same year, she collaborated for the fourth time with David Lynch, appearing as Diane Evans in the third season of the mystery serial drama television series Twin Peaks and joined the Star Wars franchise portraying Vice-Admiral Amilyn Holdo in Rian Johnson's space opera film Star Wars: The Last Jedi.[57][58]

In 2018, Dern starred as professor and documentary filmmaker Jennifer Fox, recalling her traumatic past in the autobiographical feature film The Tale, written and directed by Fox. The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival on January 20, 2018, to a standing ovation,[59] and later on HBO on May 26, 2018.[60] Dern received her seventh Primetime Emmy nomination for the role in the category Outstanding Lead Actress In A Limited Series Or Movie.[61] That same year, she starred in two biographical drama films, Trial By Fire and JT LeRoy as the author Laura Albert.

In 2019, Dern reprised her role of Renata Klein in Big Little Lies after the series was renewed for a second season where she once again received critical acclaim and received her eighth Primetime Emmy Award nomination, her first in the Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series category.[62][63] In the same year, Dern starred in two films nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards. The first is Noah Baumbach's Marriage Story, portraying the character Nora Fanshaw, a divorce lawyer which was written by Baumbach with Dern in mind for the role.[64] For her performance, Dern received major awards including earning her first Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress from three nominations, winning the first and only Oscar in an acting category for Netflix,[65][66] and also received the BAFTA Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role, the SAG Award for Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role, and the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture.[67][68] The second is Greta Gerwig's film adaptation of Little Women, where she portrayed Marmee March.[69] In 2020, she served as an executive producer on the animated short film If Anything Happens I Love You which was released on Netflix[70] and was a producer on the documentary film The Way I See It.[71]

In 2022, Dern reprised her role as Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic World Dominion.[72] Due to the character's fan influence, Dern and director Colin Trevorrow felt protective of the character and her legacy, and were in agreement to have the character play a major role.[73] With Neill and Goldblum having led in their own Jurassic Park sequel, Trevorrow wanted Dominion to be Dern's film explaining, "It was important for the plot to be driven by Ellie. She's the only one of those three characters that hasn't had her own movie."[74] She starred in Florian Zeller's 2022 adaptation of his stage play The Son.[75] Dern appeared in the music video for Taylor Swift's "Bejeweled" from her tenth studio album Midnights (2022).[76] Dern reunited with Wild author Cheryl Strayed and served along with Reese Witherspoon as executive producers for the 2023 Hulu television series Tiny Beautiful Things based on Strayed's book.[77] Dern served as an executive producer and starred in the Apple TV+ period television series Palm Royale.[78]

Dern stars and serves as an executive producer for Justin Kurzel's science fiction film Morning.[79] She stars in the Netflix film Lonely Planet.[80] She and Amy Adams signed on to executive produce a HBO adaptation of Claire Lombardo's The Most Fun We Ever Had.[81]

Personal life

edit

Relationships and family

edit
 
Dern with then-husband Ben Harper in December 2009

Dern was in a relationship with her Blue Velvet co-star Kyle MacLachlan from 1985 to 1989. She began dating Jeff Goldblum in 1993 after meeting on the set of Jurassic Park, but the relationship ended in 1997. Dern also dated Billy Bob Thornton from 1997 to 1999. They were engaged until she discovered he was dating Angelina Jolie. In autumn 2000, Dern began dating musician Ben Harper after they met at one of his concerts.[82] Harper and Dern married on December 23, 2005, at their home in Los Angeles.[83] They have two children together, son Ellery Walker (born August 21, 2001)[82] and daughter Jaya (born November 2004).[84] Through this marriage, Dern became a stepmother and is close with Harper's children from his first marriage, his son, Charles, and daughter, Harris.[82] The two finalized their divorce in 2013.[85]

On October 18, 2017, in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein sexual abuse scandal, Dern appeared on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and revealed that she had been sexually assaulted at age 14.[86]

Political views and activism

edit

During the 66th Golden Globe Awards, on January 11, 2009, Dern expressed support for the incoming administration of Barack Obama during her acceptance speech for her Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film win, stating: "I will cherish this as a reminder of the extraordinary, incredible outpouring of people who demanded their voice be heard in this last election so we can look forward to amazing change in this country. Thank you so much!"[87]

An activist and supporter of various charities, Dern advocated Down syndrome awareness in a cover story for Ability Magazine.[88] In 2018, Dern brought activist Mónica Ramírez to the 75th Golden Globe Awards as a guest.[89] In the same year, she attended a Families Belong Together event and expressed her support for immigrants' rights.[90][91] She is also an advocate for women's rights,[92] gender pay parity,[93] as well as combating gun violence and climate change.[94] In 2019, she became a board member of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures.[95] Dern is an ambassador for the American Lung Association and serves as an Advisor to the group's National Board of Directors.[96][97]

Filmography

edit

Film

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1973 White Lightning Sharon Anne Uncredited
1974 Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore Girl Eating Ice Cream Cone
1980 Foxes Debbie
1982 Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains Jessica McNeil
1983 Grizzly II: Revenge Tina Released in 2020
1984 Teachers Diane Warren
1985 Mask Diana Adams
Smooth Talk Connie Wyatt
1986 Blue Velvet Sandy Williams
1988 Haunted Summer Claire Clairmont
1989 Fat Man and Little Boy Kathleen Robinson
1990 Wild at Heart Lula Fortune
Industrial Symphony No. 1 Heartbroken Woman Concert film
1991 Rambling Rose Rose
1993 Jurassic Park Dr. Ellie Sattler
A Perfect World Sally Gerber
1996 Citizen Ruth Ruth Stoops
Bastard Out of Carolina Narrator (voice)
1999 October Sky Miss Riley
2000 Dr. T & the Women Peggy
2001 Daddy and Them Ruby Montgomery
Jurassic Park III Dr. Ellie Sattler
Focus Gertrude 'Gert' Hart
I Am Sam Randy Carpenter
Novocaine Jean Noble
2002 Goose Narrator (voice) Short film
Searching for Debra Winger Herself Documentary
2004 We Don't Live Here Anymore Terry Linden
2005 Happy Endings Pam Ferris
The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio Dortha Schaefer
2006 Lonely Hearts Rene Fodie
Inland Empire Nikki Grace / Susan Blue Also co-producer
2007 Year of the Dog Bret Spade
2008 The Monday Before Thanksgiving Theresa Short film
2009 Tenderness Aunt Teresa
2010 Everything Must Go Delilah
Little Fockers Prudence Simmons
2011 Fight for Your Right Revisited Café Patron Short film
2012 The Master Helen Sullivan
2013 Jay-Z: Made in America Herself Documentary
2014 The Fault in Our Stars Frannie Lancaster
When the Game Stands Tall Beverly Ladouceur
Wild Bobbi Lambrecht
99 Homes Lynn Nash
2015 Bravetown Annie
2016 Certain Women Laura Wells
The Founder Ethel Kroc
2017 Wilson Pippi
The Black Ghiandola Doctor Short film
The Good Time Girls Clementine
Downsizing Laura Lonowski
Star Wars: The Last Jedi Vice Admiral Amilyn Holdo
2018 The Tale Jennifer Fox
Trial by Fire Elizabeth Gilbert
JT LeRoy Laura Albert
2019 Cold Pursuit Grace Coxman
Marriage Story Nora Fanshaw
Little Women Marmee March
2020 Crazy, Not Insane Narrator (voice) Documentary
If Anything Happens I Love You None Executive producer, animated short film
The Way I See It None Producer, documentary
2022 Jurassic World Dominion Dr. Ellie Sattler
The Son Kate
2023 Ozi: Voice of the Forest Ozi's Mother (voice)
2024 Lonely Planet Katherine Loewe
2025 Jay Kelly TBA Post-production

Television

edit
Year Title Role Notes
1980 Insight Amy Episode: "Who Loves Amy Tonight?"
1981 Shannon Unknown Episode: "Gotham Swansong"
1983 Happy Endings Audrey Constantine Television film
1984 The Three Wishes of Billy Grier Crissy
1989 Nightmare Classics Rebecca Episode: "The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde"
1992 Afterburn Janet Harduvel Television film
1993 Fallen Angels Annie Ainsley Episode: "Murder, Obliquely"
1994 The Gift None Television film; director
1995 Frasier June (voice) Episode: "Sleeping with the Enemy"
Down Came a Blackbird Helen McNulty Television film; also executive producer
1996 The Siege at Ruby Ridge Vicki Weaver Television film
1997 Ellen Susan 2 episodes
1998 The Larry Sanders Show Herself Episode: "I Buried Sid"
The Baby Dance Wanda LeFauve Television film
2001 Within These Walls Sister Pauline Quinn
2002 Damaged Care Linda Peeno Television film; also co-producer
The West Wing US Poet Laureate Tabatha Fortis Episode: "The U.S. Poet Laureate"
2002–2003 King of the Hill Serving Wench / Katherine (voices) 2 episodes
2008 Recount Katherine Harris Television film
2011–2013 Enlightened Amy Jellicoe 18 episodes; also co-creator and executive producer
2013 Call Me Crazy: A Five Film None Television film; director (segment: "Grace")
2014 Kroll Show Cleo 2 episodes
Drunk History Nellie Bly Episode: "New York City"
2015 The Mindy Project Dr. Ludmilla Trapeznikov Episode: "Best Man"
2015–2021 F Is for Family Sue Murphy (voice) 44 episodes
2017–2019 Big Little Lies Renata Klein 14 episodes
2017 The Last Man on Earth Catherine Episode: "Got Milk?"
Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt Wendy Hebert Episode: "Kimmy Can't Help You!"
Twin Peaks Diane Evans 9 episodes
2022 The White Lotus Abby (voice) Uncredited
2 episodes
2024 Palm Royale Linda Shaw 9 episodes; also executive producer

Video games

edit
Year Title Role Notes
2015 Lego Jurassic World Dr. Ellie Sattler Archive Audio from the films.
2019 Jurassic World Evolution Dr. Ellie Sattler Return to Jurassic Park Expansion
2022 Jurassic World Evolution 2 Dr. Ellie Sattler Biosyn Dominion expansion

Music videos

edit
Year Title Artist(s) Role
2022 "Bejeweled" Taylor Swift Stepmother

Book

edit
  • Dern, Laura; Ladd, Diane (2023). Honey, Baby, Mine: A Mother and Daughter Talk Life, Death, Love (and Banana Pudding). Grand Central Publishing. ISBN 978-1-538-72037-0.

Awards and nominations

edit

Dern has received numerous accolades for her work in film and television. These include an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award and five Golden Globe Awards.

Dern received critical acclaim and was nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress for portraying the titular orphan in the drama Rambling Rose (1991). Dern's nomination for the Oscar, alongside her mother Diane Ladd, marked the second, and (as of 2024) most recent, time that a parent and child received acting nominations together for roles in the same film.[a] The following year, her performance in the television drama film Afterburn (1992) won her the Golden Globe and earned her a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or Movie. She received another four Emmy nominations—for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Drama and Comedy Series, Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Miniseries or Movie and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series—for her respective performances in Fallen Angels (1994), Ellen (1997), Recount (2008) and Enlightened (2013). The latter two also won her Golden Globe Awards, for Best Supporting Actress and Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy, respectively.

Dern's performance of a dedicated mother in the HBO black comedy drama series Big Little Lies (2017–2019) was widely acclaimed. For the first season, she won the Critics' Choice, Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie and was nominated for the SAG Award for Outstanding Actress in a Miniseries or Movie (which she lost to costar Nicole Kidman). The second season earned Dern nominations for the Critics' Choice and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series and the Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series. The television drama film The Tale (2018) earned Dern nominations for the Critics' Choice, Golden Globe and Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.

Dern's critically acclaimed roles in the independent drama films Wild (2014) and Marriage Story (2019) earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress; winning for her portrayal of a divorce lawyer in the latter, which also won her the BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Golden Globe and SAG Award in that category. The same year, Dern's role as part of the ensemble cast of Greta Gerwig's widely acclaimed adaptation of Little Women earned her a nomination for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble.

Dern has also achieved various awards records. The daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, both of whom received Academy Award nominations of their own, Dern is one of few second-generation Academy Award nominees. With her eight Emmy nominations, Dern is among a select few actors to be nominated across all three performance (lead, supporting and guest) and genre (comedy, drama, limited series or movie) categories. With her five Golden Globe Award wins, she is the third-most awarded actor.[b] Having won both an Academy Award and Emmy Award for acting, Dern is just a Tony Award away from achieving the Triple Crown of Acting.

See also

edit

Notes

edit

References

edit
  1. ^ DIET, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS, LIFESTYLE AND HEALTH. BiblioGov. July 25, 2002. p. 33. ISBN 978-1983541629. Archived from the original on March 9, 2023. Retrieved November 14, 2020.
  2. ^ a b Harrington, Richard (September 14, 2007). "The Essential Roger Corman". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on October 9, 2017. Retrieved March 12, 2016. Dern's real-life wife, Diane Ladd, playing the Loser's wife, became pregnant with daughter-actress Laura Dern during shooting.
  3. ^ Diamond, Jamie (August 25, 1992). "A Lifetime of con men and killers". Toledo Blade. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2016. In 1967 I did a movie with Peter Fonda called The Trip... I had just had my daughter Laura
  4. ^ "Showtime movie a family affair". Spartanburg Herald Journal. January 28, 1996. Archived from the original on February 26, 2022. Retrieved March 12, 2016.
  5. ^ a b Dern, Laura (October 7, 2013). "Laura Dern Interview". WTF Podcast (Interview). Interviewed by Marc Maron.
  6. ^ "How the Dern Family Survived Career Setbacks, Embarrassing Set Moments". The Hollywood Reporter. October 28, 2010. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  7. ^ Arnold, Amanda (December 19, 2019). "Laura Dern Is So Good at Sitting". The Cut. Archived from the original on January 17, 2020. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  8. ^ a b Ellison, Nancy; Manning, Barbara (April 29, 1985). "Laura Dern, Daughter of Bruce (and Diane Ladd) Steps Out on Her Own with a Star Role in Mask". People. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  9. ^ Kempley, Rita (January 12, 1997). "Laura Dern's Liberal Lust". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  10. ^ VanHoose, Benjamin (January 6, 2020). "Laura Dern Recalls Being Miss Golden Globe in 1982: My Grandma Drove Me Up in Her Toyota Corolla". People. Archived from the original on April 18, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  11. ^ Powers, Ann (September 14, 2008). "'Fabulous' determination". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  12. ^ Jung, E. Alex (December 2, 2019). "Laura Dern Doesn't Need Our Approval But we gave her an honorary degree anyway". Vulture. Archived from the original on May 14, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  13. ^ a b c Smallwood, Christine (May 7, 2019). "Laura Dern Embraces the Messiness of Human Life". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  14. ^ Smallwood, Christine (May 7, 2019). "Laura Dern Embraces the Messiness of Human Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on April 30, 2020. Retrieved May 14, 2020.
  15. ^ Farber, Stephen (May 4, 1986). "LAURA DERN IS A TEEN-AGER TO TAKE SERIOUSLY". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  16. ^ a b "Laura Dern Reviews the New Twin Peaks: David Lynch "Blew My Mind"". W Magazine. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  17. ^ "Sundance Institute". www.sundance.org. Archived from the original on April 20, 2013. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  18. ^ "Director Joyce Chopra On The 'Smooth Talk' Restoration, Casting Laura Dern & The Film's Timely Story [Interview]". theplaylist.net. Archived from the original on June 19, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  19. ^ Desta, Yohana (October 28, 2019). "David Lynch Gave the Shortest Oscar Acceptance Speech Imaginable". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 19, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  20. ^ Regensdorf, Laura (October 8, 2019). "Laura Dern, Famous for Her Flameout Heroines, Is a Low-Key Wellness Hero". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 22, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  21. ^ King, Loren (December 23, 2016). "MFA celebrates the films of Laura Dern". The Boston Globe. Archived from the original on August 29, 2017. Retrieved June 22, 2017.
  22. ^ Gelder, Lawrence Van (August 17, 1990). "At the Movies". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  23. ^ Rubinstein, Bessie (January 29, 2020). "That Time Laura Dern's Mom Brought A Lollipop To A David Lynch Abortion". Interview Magazine. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  24. ^ Baxter, Joseph (April 2015). "The 3 Actresses Silence Of The Lambs Almost Hired Instead Of Jodie Foster". CinemaBlend. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  25. ^ Watkins, Gwynne (April 2, 2015). "How Jodie Foster Fought for 'Silence of the Lambs' Role". Yahoo. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  26. ^ Champlin, Charles (March 16, 1992). "In a Family Way : 'Rose' Bouquet for Mom Diane Ladd, Daughter Laura Dern". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on August 4, 2020. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  27. ^ Fox, David J. (January 25, 1993). "Pacino Gives Oscar Derby a New Twist : Awards: Actor wins Golden Globe for role in 'Scent of a Woman,' which also wins as best dramatic picture, surprising Academy Awards competitors". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 18, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  28. ^ "Outstanding Lead Actress In A Miniseries Or A Movie Nominees / Winners 1992". Television Academy. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  29. ^ a b Aviles, Gwen (December 4, 2019). "Laura Dern said she lost work, needed 'security detail' after 'Ellen' coming-out episode". NBC News. Archived from the original on February 17, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  30. ^ a b "Laura Dern On Her 'Jurassic' Comeback, & Dr Ellie Sattler's New Stella McCartney Wardrobe". British Vogue. June 11, 2022. Archived from the original on July 12, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  31. ^ Stack, Tim; Staskiewicz, Keith. "'Jurassic Park': An oral history". EW.com. Archived from the original on June 24, 2018. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  32. ^ "Laura Dern on Jurassic Park and the Pressure of Reviving an Iconic Character". Time. Archived from the original on September 10, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  33. ^ Jacobs, Matthew (December 2, 2021). "Laura Dern Answers Every Question We Have About Citizen Ruth". Vulture. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  34. ^ Gajewski, Ryan (July 19, 2022). "Hollywood Flashback: 25 Years Ago, 'Citizen Ruth' Sent Up the Abortion Debate". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  35. ^ "Once a satire of the abortion divide, 'Citizen Ruth' now has a 'devastating' relevance". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved September 7, 2022.
  36. ^ Jung, E. Alex (December 2, 2019). "Laura Dern Doesn't Need Our Approval". Vulture. Archived from the original on December 10, 2019. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  37. ^ "Outstanding Guest Actress In A Comedy Series Nominees / Winners 1997". Television Academy. Archived from the original on October 21, 2020. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  38. ^ "Ellen and Laura Dern reunite after kiss". Today. Associated Press. April 23, 2007. Archived from the original on February 10, 2014. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  39. ^ Mottram, James (2021). Jurassic Park: The Ultimate Visual History. Insight Editions. ISBN 978-1-68383-545-5. Archived from the original on May 2, 2022. Retrieved March 19, 2023.
  40. ^ Sims, David (May 5, 2022). "David Lynch's Unfathomable Masterpiece". The Atlantic. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  41. ^ "David Lynch given lifetime award". September 6, 2006. Archived from the original on November 6, 2014. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  42. ^ Nolfi, Joey (December 15, 2017). "Laura Dern on Enlightened preceding the resistance: 'Now, most of us are Amy Jellicoe'". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 9, 2019. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  43. ^ Holden, Stephen (December 10, 2009). "The Young and the Not So Innocent, Swooning Over a Homicidal Fella". The New York Times. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  44. ^ Ryan, Mike (December 22, 2010). "Is Little Fockers the Worst Movie of the Year (and 24 Other Urgent Questions)?". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 9, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  45. ^ "Walk of Fame star for Dern family". BBC News. November 2, 2010. Archived from the original on August 14, 2021. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  46. ^ "Enlightened: Homepage". HBO. Archived from the original on January 21, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  47. ^ "HBO's 'Enlightened' Take On Modern Meditation". NPR. October 10, 2011. Archived from the original on June 17, 2017. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  48. ^ Schwartz, Dana (January 7, 2018). "Laura Dern wins best supporting actress at Golden Globes". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved December 13, 2019.
  49. ^ "Outstanding Lead Actress In A Comedy Series Nominees / Winners 2013". Television Academy. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  50. ^ Anderton, Ethan (June 1, 2011). "Laura Dern, Amy Adams and Others Join P.T. Anderson's 'The Master'". FirstShowing.net. Archived from the original on January 16, 2012. Retrieved January 21, 2012.
  51. ^ Seigel, Tatiana (April 22, 2013). "Jim Caviezel, Laura Dern, Michael Chiklis to star in 'When the Game Stands Tall'". Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 8, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  52. ^ Weintraub, Steve (October 17, 2015). "Laura Dern on 99 Homes, John Lee Hancock's The Founder". Collider. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  53. ^ "Shailene Woodley Had Basically Quit Acting Before "Big Little Lies" Came Along". Teen Vogue. June 1, 2018. Archived from the original on September 5, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  54. ^ Littleton, Cynthia (September 17, 2017). "'Big Little Lies' Flexes Femme Muscle With Eight Big Emmy Wins". Variety. Archived from the original on July 27, 2020. Retrieved November 13, 2019.
  55. ^ Cohen, Rebecca (January 7, 2018). "Golden Globes: Laura Dern Wins Best Supporting Actress for 'Big Little Lies'". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  56. ^ "Laura Dern On The Magic Of Renata Klein, Big Little Lies' Gucci-Obsessed "Female Pitbull"". British Vogue. June 18, 2019. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  57. ^ Desta, Yohana (June 12, 2017). "Laura Dern Just Added a Crazy Twist to the Twin Peaks Canon". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on September 20, 2020. Retrieved March 6, 2021.
  58. ^ Kamp, David (May 24, 2017). "Cover Story: Star Wars: The Last Jedi, the Definitive Preview". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on July 2, 2018. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
  59. ^ "First #MeToo film, The Tale, gets standing ovation at Sundance". thestar.com. January 21, 2018. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  60. ^ Galuppo, Mia; Lee, Ashley (January 26, 2018). "Sundance: Laura Dern Drama 'The Tale' Nabbed by HBO Films". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on June 12, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2018.
  61. ^ Otterson, Joe (July 12, 2018). "Emmy Nominee Laura Dern on How 'The Tale' Goes Beyond Sexual Abuse". Variety. Archived from the original on August 9, 2022. Retrieved August 9, 2022.
  62. ^ "Perspective | Laura Dern is the best part of 'Big Little Lies' right now". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Archived from the original on October 17, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  63. ^ France, Lisa Respers (July 28, 2020). "Emmy nominations 2020: See if your favorite shows made the cut". CNN. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  64. ^ Kroll, Justin (November 17, 2017). "Noah Baumbach Casts Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, Laura Dern in Next Film". Variety. Archived from the original on February 9, 2018. Retrieved December 12, 2019.
  65. ^ Drury, Sharareh (February 9, 2020). "Oscars: Laura Dern Dedicates Best Supporting Actress Win to Her Parents". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  66. ^ Solsman, Joan E. "Netflix led the 2020 Oscars in nominations. It won 2 awards". CNET. Archived from the original on July 1, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  67. ^ Miller, Julie (January 6, 2020). "Laura Dern Bests Jennifer Lopez for Golden Globe". Vanity Fair. Archived from the original on August 10, 2020. Retrieved February 10, 2020.
  68. ^ Hipes, Patrick (February 2, 2020). "BAFTA Awards: '1917' Takes Best Film And Leads Way With Seven Wins – The Complete Winners List". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on February 2, 2020. Retrieved February 3, 2020.
  69. ^ Hammond, Pete (October 24, 2019). "'Little Women' Debuts To Standing Ovation And Another Likely Date With Oscar For Greta Gerwig". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 11, 2019. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  70. ^ Tangcay, Jazz (November 19, 2020). "Laura Dern on Gun Safety and How Netflix's Animated 'If Anything Happens I Love You' Addresses Grief". Variety. Archived from the original on January 11, 2021. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  71. ^ Carey, Matthew (January 10, 2021). "'The Way I See It' Team On White House Photographer Pete Souza And Capturing Presidential Empathy – Contenders Documentary". Deadline. Archived from the original on July 17, 2022. Retrieved July 17, 2022.
  72. ^ Romano, Nick (February 25, 2020). "Jurassic World 3 gets Dominion title as filming begins". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on February 26, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  73. ^ Mike Reyes (June 16, 2022). "What Most Excited Jurassic World Dominion's Laura Dern And Sam Neill About Returning To Their Legacy Characters". CINEMABLEND. Archived from the original on September 8, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  74. ^ Kaye, Don (May 17, 2022). "How Jurassic World Dominion Finally Gives Laura Dern Her Due". Den of Geek. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  75. ^ Barraclough, Leo (April 14, 2021). "Hugh Jackman and Laura Dern to Star in 'The Son,' From 'The Father' Director Florian Zeller and Co-Writer Christopher Hampton". Variety. Archived from the original on April 15, 2021. Retrieved April 15, 2021.
  76. ^ Ruiz, Matthew (October 25, 2022). "Taylor Swift Shares New Video for "Bejeweled": Watch". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on October 25, 2022. Retrieved October 25, 2022.
  77. ^ Rice, Lynette (June 6, 2022). "Hulu Orders 'Tiny Beautiful Things' to Series from Liz Tigelaar; Kathryn Hahn Stars". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 17, 2022. Retrieved September 5, 2022.
  78. ^ Cordero, Rosy (June 13, 2022). "'Mrs. American Pie': Jordan Bridges, Kaia Gerber & Julia Duffy Among 6 Set To Recur In Apple Series". Deadline. Archived from the original on June 27, 2022. Retrieved July 1, 2022.
  79. ^ "Laura Dern, Noah Jupe & Benedict Cumberbatch To Star In Justin Kurzel Sci-Fi Drama 'Morning', HanWay Launches EFM Hot Pic". Deadline Hollywood. January 31, 2022. Archived from the original on February 1, 2022. Retrieved February 1, 2022.
  80. ^ Grobar, Matt (April 7, 2022). "Laura Dern & Liam Hemsworth To Star In Netflix Romance 'Lonely Planet'; 'Unbelievable's Susannah Grant Directing". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on January 15, 2023. Retrieved April 8, 2022.
  81. ^ Otterson, Joe (October 15, 2019). "Amy Adams, Laura Dern to Produce 'The Most Fun We Ever Had' Adaptation at HBO". Variety. Retrieved May 30, 2023.
  82. ^ a b c Miller, Samantha (February 4, 2002). "Dern Happy". People. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  83. ^ "Actress Laura Dern Marries Ben Harper". People. December 23, 2005. Archived from the original on January 14, 2017. Retrieved September 21, 2013.
  84. ^ "Laura Dern gives birth to a daughter". Today. November 2004. Archived from the original on February 28, 2020. Retrieved February 27, 2020.
  85. ^ Saad, Nardine (September 11, 2013). "Laura Dern, Ben Harper finalize their long-running divorce". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  86. ^ Fisher, Luchina (October 18, 2017). "Laura Dern recalls being sexually assaulted at age 14". Elle. Archived from the original on February 24, 2018. Retrieved February 23, 2018.
  87. ^ "Laura Dern Goes Political at the Golden Globes". YouTube. Archived from the original on July 24, 2013. Retrieved January 11, 2009.
  88. ^ "Laura Dern interview with Chet Cooper". Abilitymagazine.com. Archived from the original on April 27, 2016. Retrieved August 31, 2016.
  89. ^ CNWN Collection (January 8, 2018). "Golden Globes 2018: How to Support the Activists' Causes". Allure. Archived from the original on May 5, 2020. Retrieved January 11, 2018.
  90. ^ Romano, Nick (June 30, 2018). "'Families Belong Together' rallies draw celebrities to protest Trump's immigration policy". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on December 14, 2019. Retrieved December 14, 2019.
  91. ^ Jordan, Julie (November 3, 2018). "Big Little Lies Star Laura Dern Makes Passionate Plea to Protect Environment and Immigrants". People. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  92. ^ Brockington, Ariana (May 22, 2018). "Nina Shaw, Laura Dern Stress Importance of Intersectionality in Time's Up Movement". Variety. Archived from the original on August 3, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  93. ^ Franklin, Ericka (April 30, 2019). "Laura Dern Promotes Gender Parity Across Industries at Women in Tech Code-a-Thon". The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on August 5, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  94. ^ Tschorn, Adam (December 12, 2019). "2019 is Laura Dern's year. We're just living in it". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on September 10, 2020. Retrieved September 10, 2020.
  95. ^ Robb, David (November 6, 2019). "Academy Museum Names Seven New Trustees, Including Laura Dern & Academy President David Rubin". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on December 4, 2020. Retrieved August 31, 2020.
  96. ^ Conway, Jeff. "Laura Dern Talks Lung Health And Opens Up About Her 'Jurassic' Return". Forbes. Archived from the original on August 21, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
  97. ^ "Laura Dern". www.lung.org. Archived from the original on June 14, 2022. Retrieved August 21, 2022.
edit