'Marriage Story' star Laura Dern on collaborating with 'maestro' David Lynch: 'I will work with him whenever he tells me to show up'
Iconic movies like 'Jurassic Park', 'The Fault in Our Stars' and 'Wild' have put Laura Dern on the map as an exceptional Hollywood actor. Born to actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, Dern took her first step in Hollywood in the 1980s with small parts in dramas like 'Foxes' (1980) and 'Mask' (1985).
It was her collaboration with David Lynch that boosted her professional career with her breakthrough roles in films like 'Blue Velvet' (1986) and 'Wild at Heart' (1990).
Soon, Dern received international recognition when 'Jurassic Park' hit the screens in 1993. However, Dern and Lynch's affiliation continued in the years that followed later.
In 2006, the two reunited for 'Inland Empire' and the same year, Dern had a supporting role in 'Lonely Hearts'.
The filmmaker aggressively campaigned for her to earn an Academy Award nomination for her work in 'Inland Empire'. He sat out in the open next to a giant poster of his longtime collaborator that read, "For your consideration".
He also had a live cow right there. Can you believe it? A second poster said, "Without cheese, there wouldn't be an 'Inland Empire'," and when somebody had the guts to ask him what that meant, he'd say: "Cheese is made from milk. Get it?"
At the Hollywood Film Awards, the actress reminisced about Lynch's influence on her film career. Shedding light on how he has been a guiding light and whether she plans to work with him again, she told MEA WorldWide (MEAWW), "I will work with him whenever he tells me to show up."
Talking about their collaboration, she added, "He is my maestro and my family. I'm the luckiest girl in the world that he somehow found me as a 17-something-year-old and it has been a life journey so far."
She also spoke about how memories of their association always lie in her heart. "He's with me every day even when I'm not working with him, even when he's nothing to do with the film I am on... any bravery or boldness that's required of me comes from the foundation of David pushing me towards my work."
Lately, the actress has won hearts with her portrayal of Renata Klein in the 2017 HBO miniseries 'Big Little Lies', winning her first Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie.
The same year, Dern also appeared in David Lynch's revival of 'Twin Peaks' for Showtime! It seems like the director-actor duo has a long journey ahead.