Laura Dern facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laura Dern
Dern in 2017
Born	Laura Elizabeth Dern (1967-02-10) February 10, 1967 (age 58) Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Occupation	Actress producer
Years active	1973–present
Spouse(s)	Ben Harper ​ ​ (m. 2005; div. 2013)​
Children	2
Parents	Bruce Dern (father) Diane Ladd (mother)
Relatives	George Dern (great-grandfather) Andrew MacLeish (great-great-grandfather) Archibald MacLeish (great-granduncle)
Awards	Full list
Signature

Laura Elizabeth Dern (born February 10, 1967) is an American actress. She has won many awards, including an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, a Screen Actors Guild Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.

Laura Dern's parents, Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, were also actors. She started her acting career in the 1980s. She became well-known for her roles in Mask (1985) and in David Lynch's films Blue Velvet (1986) and Wild at Heart (1990). She was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress for her part in the drama film Rambling Rose (1991). She won her first Golden Globe for her acting in the TV film Afterburn (1992).

Laura Dern became famous around the world for playing Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg's adventure film Jurassic Park (1993). She played this role again in the sequels, Jurassic Park III (2001) and Jurassic World Dominion (2022). She won two Golden Globes for her roles as Katherine Harris in the TV film Recount (2008) and Amy Jellicoe in the comedy series Enlightened (2011–2013). Dern received her second Academy Award nomination for playing the mother of Cheryl Strayed in the movie Wild (2014).

She played Renata Klein in the drama series Big Little Lies, winning a Primetime Emmy Award and a Golden Globe Award. She also worked with director David Lynch again for Inland Empire and Twin Peaks: The Return. She had supporting roles in films like Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), Little Women (2019), and Marriage Story (2019). Her role as a divorce lawyer in Marriage Story earned her an Academy Award and her fifth Golden Globe Award.

Early Life and Education

Laura Elizabeth Dern was born on February 10, 1967, in Los Angeles, California. Her parents were actors Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern. Her great-grandfather was George Dern, who was a governor of Utah and a Secretary of War. Poet and writer Archibald MacLeish was her great-great-uncle.

After her parents divorced when she was two, Laura was mostly raised by her mother and her grandmother, Mary. Her grandmother had Norwegian family from Oslo. Laura was raised Catholic. Her godmother was the actress Shelley Winters. As a child, she developed scoliosis, a condition where the spine curves.

First Steps in Acting

Laura's first time appearing in a film was as an extra in White Lightning (1973). Her mother also starred in that movie. Her official film debut was alongside her mother in Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974). In 1982, when she was 15, Dern served as Miss Golden Globe. In the same year, she played a rebellious rock band member in the film Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains.

At 16, she finished high school early by taking extra classes. She then became legally independent, which allowed her to work the same hours as an adult on film sets. After moving out at 17, Dern lived with Marianne Williamson. Later, Dern started studying psychology and journalism at UCLA. However, she left after two days to film Blue Velvet.

Acting Career Highlights

Starting Out in the 1980s and 1990s

Dern got her first credited role in 1980, starring with Jodie Foster in the film Foxes. She was 11 when she first auditioned for a different role, telling casting directors she was 14. In 1985, she was cast as Connie Wyatt in the film Smooth Talk. This movie won a big award at the Sundance Film Festival in 1986 and helped launch Dern's career.

Between 1985 and 1990, Dern earned praise for her roles in Mask, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart. The last two were directed by David Lynch, starting a long working relationship between them. In Mask, she played Diana Adams, a blind girl who falls in love with Rocky Dennis. In Blue Velvet, she played Sandy Williams, a main role alongside Kyle MacLachlan and Isabella Rossellini. This film is often seen as her breakthrough performance.

In 1990, Dern worked with Lynch again in Wild At Heart, playing a very different character. She said it was a chance to play someone very comfortable with herself. The film won an award at the Cannes Film Festival and received good reviews. Her mother, Diane Ladd, also had a supporting role in the film.

In 1992, Dern and her mother, Diane Ladd, made history. They became the first mother and daughter to be nominated for Academy Awards for acting in the same film, Rambling Rose. Ladd was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, and Dern for Best Actress. The next year, Dern won a Golden Globe Award for Best Actress – Miniseries or Television Film and was nominated for her first Primetime Emmy Award for her role in the 1992 TV film Afterburn.

Becoming a Global Star

Dern played Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Jurassic Park. This role brought her international fame. Spielberg chose Dern for the role after being impressed by her work in Smooth Talk and Rambling Rose. She was encouraged by Nicolas Cage to take the role. Dern said it was an "easy yes" because Spielberg and producer Kathleen Kennedy made sure Ellie was a strong, smart character who was good at her job, not just an "oversexualized action heroine."

After Jurassic Park, Dern was offered many roles in big blockbuster films. However, she chose to star in Alexander Payne's film Citizen Ruth to avoid being typecast. In this film, she played a pregnant character who gets caught up in a national debate. The film was praised at the Sundance Film Festival. Her mother, Diane Ladd, also made a small appearance, playing her mother for the third time.

In 1997, Ellen DeGeneres asked Dern to guest star in an episode of her sitcom Ellen. Dern played Susan Richmond, a character who helps Ellen Morgan come out as gay. Despite concerns from others, Dern accepted the role right away. She received her third Primetime Emmy Award nomination for this role. This decision had a big impact on her career. Dern later shared that she did not work for over a year after this episode and needed security because of the strong reactions at the time. However, she called it an "extraordinary experience" and an "incredible honor." The next year, Dern co-starred in the TV film The Baby Dance, earning a Golden Globe nomination. In the film October Sky, Dern played a teacher who supports a young man's dream of building rockets.

Continued Success in the 2000s and 2010s

In 2000, Robert Altman cast Dern in his comedy Dr. T & the Women. In 2001, Dern returned as Ellie in Jurassic Park III. She was hesitant at first, but Steven Spielberg suggested her character play an important role in saving others. That same year, she co-starred in Within These Walls and Focus. In Daddy and Them, Dern played a wife. She also starred in I Am Sam as Randy Carpenter, who runs a foster home. In 2002, she starred in Damaged Care. In 2004, she was in We Don't Live Here Anymore. Dern starred in Happy Endings and The Prize Winner of Defiance, Ohio in 2005.

Dern at Civic Center Park in 2008

In 2006, Dern worked with director David Lynch again for Inland Empire. This experimental film was shot by Lynch himself without a full script. Dern played an actress who starts to become like the character she plays. The film received mixed reviews, but Dern said she would work on any project with Lynch. That same year, Dern had a supporting role in Lonely Hearts. She also starred in Year of the Dog with Molly Shannon. In 2008, Dern played Katherine Harris in Recount, winning a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film. In 2009, Dern appeared in Tenderness, and in 2010, she was in Little Fockers.

In November 2010, Laura Dern and her parents, Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern, received stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. They were the first family to achieve this. In October 2011, she starred in a new HBO comedy-drama series called Enlightened. She also helped create and produce the show. Dern played Amy Jellicoe, a woman trying to rebuild her life after a difficult time. The series was highly praised and ran for two seasons. Dern's mother, Diane Ladd, played her character's mother in the series. Dern won her third Golden Globe Award for her performance and was nominated for her fifth Primetime Emmy Award.

Recent Roles and Awards

In 2012, Dern starred in Paul Thomas Anderson's film The Master. In 2014, she co-starred with Reese Witherspoon in Wild, playing Bobbi, the mother of Cheryl Strayed. For this role, she received her second Academy Award nomination. That same year, she played Frannie Lancaster in The Fault In Our Stars and Beverly Ladouceur in When the Game Stands Tall. She also played Lynn Nash in 99 Homes, a widowed mother who is evicted with her family.

In 2017, Dern reunited with Reese Witherspoon and director Jean-Marc Vallée for the HBO miniseries Big Little Lies. For her role as Renata Klein, Dern won her first Primetime Emmy Award and her fourth Golden Globe Award. That same year, she worked with David Lynch for the fourth time, appearing as Diane Evans in the third season of Twin Peaks. She also joined the Star Wars universe, playing Vice-Admiral Amilyn Holdo in Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

In 2018, Dern starred as professor and documentary filmmaker Jennifer Fox in the film The Tale. The film premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival and later on HBO. Dern received her seventh Primetime Emmy nomination for this role. That same year, she starred in two other films, Trial By Fire and JT LeRoy.

In 2019, Dern returned as Renata Klein in the second season of Big Little Lies, again receiving praise and her eighth Primetime Emmy Award nomination. In the same year, Dern starred in two films nominated for Best Picture. The first was Marriage Story, where she played Nora Fanshaw, a divorce lawyer. This role won her an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress, a BAFTA, a SAG Award, and a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – Motion Picture. The second film was Greta Gerwig's adaptation of Little Women, where she played Marmee March. In 2020, she was an executive producer for the animated short film If Anything Happens I Love You and a producer for the documentary The Way I See It.

In 2022, Dern reprised her role as Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic World Dominion. She and director Colin Trevorrow wanted Ellie to have a major role in the film. Trevorrow said it was important for the story to be led by Ellie. She also starred in The Son. Dern appeared in the music video for Taylor Swift's "Bejeweled" from her album Midnights (2022). Dern reunited with Wild author Cheryl Strayed and served as an executive producer for the 2023 Hulu TV series Tiny Beautiful Things. Dern was also an executive producer and starred in the Apple TV+ series Palm Royale.

Dern is set to star in and executive produce the science fiction film Morning. She will also star in the Netflix film Lonely Planet. She and Amy Adams are executive producing an HBO adaptation of The Most Fun We Ever Had.

Personal Life

Relationships and Family

Dern with then-husband Ben Harper in December 2009

Laura Dern dated her Blue Velvet co-star Kyle MacLachlan from 1985 to 1989. She started dating Jeff Goldblum in 1992 while filming Jurassic Park, and their relationship ended in 1997. Dern also dated Billy Bob Thornton from 1997 to 1999. They were engaged until she found out he was dating Angelina Jolie.

In autumn 2000, Dern began dating musician Ben Harper after meeting him at one of his concerts. Harper and Dern married on December 23, 2005, at their home in Los Angeles. They have two children together: a son named Ellery Walker (born August 21, 2001) and a daughter named Jaya (born November 2004). Through this marriage, Dern became a stepmother to Harper's children from his first marriage. Their divorce was finalized in 2013.

Advocacy and Activism

Laura Dern is an activist and supports various charities. She has spoken out to raise awareness for Down syndrome. In 2018, Dern brought activist Mónica Ramírez as her guest to the 75th Golden Globe Awards. In the same year, she attended a Families Belong Together event and showed her support for the rights of immigrants. She also advocates for women's rights, equal pay, and fighting gun violence and climate change. In 2019, she became a board member of the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures. Dern is an ambassador for the American Lung Association and advises their National Board of Directors.

Filmography

Film Roles

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
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
2002	Goose	Narrator (voice)	Short film
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	N/A	Executive producer, animated short film
	The Way I See It	N/A	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	0TBA	Post-production
TBA	Is This Thing On?	Tess	Post-production

Television Roles

Video Games

Music Videos

Awards and Recognition

Laura Dern has received many awards for her work in movies and TV shows. These include an Academy Award, an Emmy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards.

Dern was highly praised and nominated for the Academy Award and Golden Globe for Best Actress for playing the main character in the drama Rambling Rose (1991). When Dern was nominated for the Oscar alongside her mother Diane Ladd, it was only the second time a parent and child were nominated for acting awards in the same film. The next year, her role in the TV drama film Afterburn (1992) won her a Golden Globe and a nomination for the Primetime Emmy Award.

She received four more Emmy nominations for her roles in Fallen Angels (1994), Ellen (1997), Recount (2008), and Enlightened (2013). The last two also won her Golden Globe Awards.

Dern's role as a dedicated mother in the HBO drama series Big Little Lies (2017–2019) was widely celebrated. For the first season, she won the Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and Primetime Emmy Award. The second season earned Dern more nominations. Her role in the TV film The Tale (2018) also earned her nominations for the Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and Primetime Emmy Award.

Dern's roles in the films Wild (2014) and Marriage Story (2019) earned her nominations for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress. She won for her role as a divorce lawyer in Marriage Story. This role also won her the BAFTA, Critics' Choice, Golden Globe, and SAG Award. In the same year, Dern's role in Greta Gerwig's film adaptation of Little Women earned her a nomination for the Critics' Choice Movie Award for Best Acting Ensemble.

Dern has also set several award records. As the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, she is one of few second-generation Academy Award nominees. With her eight Emmy nominations, Dern is among a select few actors to be nominated in all three acting categories (lead, supporting, and guest) and genres (comedy, drama, limited series or movie). With her five Golden Globe Award wins, she is the third-most awarded actor. Having won both an Academy Award and Emmy Award for acting, Dern is only a Tony Award away from achieving the Triple Crown of Acting.

See also

In Spanish: Laura Dern para niños

• List of American film actresses
• List of actors with Academy Award nominations
• List of actors with more than one Academy Award nomination in the acting categories
• List of Academy Award–winning families
• List of Primetime Emmy Award winners
• List of Golden Globe winners