Laura Dern

In 2017, Dern starred in 'Wilson' and in HBO’s 'Big Little Lies'. In 2015, Dern starred in 'Wild,' for which she earned her second Oscar nomination. Dern received a Golden Globe Award and an Emmy Award nomination for 'Enlightened.' For 'Recount,' Dern received Golden Globe award and was nominated for an Emmy Award and SAG Award. In 1992, Dern received an Oscar nomination and a Golden Globe nomination for 'Rambling Rose.'

Born on February 10, 1967, in Los Angeles, California, actress Laura Dern's first major role was in the 1980 film "Foxes." Subsequent roles include "Teachers," "Mask," "Smooth Talk," "Blue Velvet," "Wild at Heart" and "Rambling Rose." In 1993, Dern won over mainstream audiences in the blockbuster "Jurassic Park," directed by Steven Spielberg. She has also received acclaim for her TV projects, including a Golden Globe for her starring role on HBO's "Enlightened," which aired from 2011 to 2013.

Laura Dern has played everything from willowy ingénues to drug-addicted washouts. After attending the University of Southern California for one semester and the University of California, Los Angeles, for just two days, Dern enrolled at the prestigious Lee Strasberg Institute to study method acting. She surprised audiences with the role of a rebellious teen anxious to experience a sexual awakening in "Smooth Talk" in 1986. The daring role earned Dern a New Generation Award from the Los Angeles Film Critics. That same year, she stepped even further toward the fringe with David Lynch's disturbing 1986 film, "Blue Velvet." She reteamed with Lynch in 1990 for the groundbreaking "Wild at Heart," in which she plays an oversexed 20-year-old on the run and stars opposite Nicolas Cage.

The following year, Dern appeared with her mother, actress Diane Ladd, in the critically acclaimed "Rambling Rose." Her nuanced performance as a troubled teenager earned her an Academy Award nomination for best actress. Ladd was also nominated for an Oscar, marking the first time a mother-daughter team received dual nominations in the same year.

In addition to film, Dern has received wide acclaim for her television performances. In 1993, she won a Golden Globe Award (best performance by an actress in a TV mini-series or motion picture) for her performance on HBO's "Afterburn." In 1997, she was nominated for an Emmy Award for her portrayal of a lesbian in a landmark episode of the sitcom "Ellen." In 2009, Dern won another Golden Globe (best performance by an actress in a supporting role in a TV series, mini-series or motion picture) for her role in the TV movie "Recount," in which she appears alongside Kevin Spacey and Denis Leary, among other prominent actors.

In 2011, Dern earned a Golden Globe (best actress in a TV series, musical or comedy) for her role on HBO's "Enlightened." In addition to starring as the show's protagonist, Amy Jellicoe, Dern co-created and co-executive produced the series (with Mike White).