• Faith: Christian - Catholic
• Career: Actress
• Birthday:  February 10, 1967

Laura Dern is an actress. She’s received several awards, including a Primetime Emmy Award, an Academy Award, a BAFTA Award, and five Golden Globe Awards. Born to actors Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern, she started her acting career in the 1980s and rose to fame for her performance in “Mask” and the David Lynch movies “Blue Velvet” and “Wild at Heart.” She received her first Academy Award nomination for her role of the titular orphan in the drama “Rambling Rose” and her first Golden Globe win for her performance in the TV film “Afterburn.”

Dern achieved international recognition for her role as Ellie Sattler in Steven Spielberg’s “Jurassic Park,” a role she later reprised in the sequels “Jurassic Park III” and “Jurassic World Dominion.” After winning two Golden Globes for her performances as Katherine Harris in the TV film “Recount” and Amy Jellice in the comedy series “Enlightened,” Dern earned her second Academy Award nomination for her performance as the mother of Cheryl Strayed in “Wild.” In 2017 and 2019, she starred as Renata Klein in “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 “Star Wars: The Last Jedi,” “Little Women,” and “Marriage Story.” Her performance as a divorce lawyer in “Marriage Story” won her an Academy Award and her fifth Golden Globe Award.

Dern was born in 1967 in Los Angeles, California, and was the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd. After her parents divorced when she was two years old, Dern was mainly brought up by her mother and maternal grandmother, Mary. Her first film venture was an appearance as an extra in “White Lightening,” a movie in which her mother starred. Her official film debut came opposite her mother in “Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore.” In 1982, at 15 years old, Dern served as Miss Golden Globe. In the same year, she played a rebellious rock band member in “Ladies and Gentlemen, The Fabulous Stains.” When she was 16, after doubling on her classes to graduate high school a semester early, Dern sought and attained emancipation, which allowed her to work the same number of hours as an adult on films.

After moving out of her home when she was 17 years old, Dern became roommates with Marianne Williamson, who is 15 years older. She later enrolled at UCLA intending to double major in psychology and journalism but withdrew two days into the semester to film “Blue Velvet.”

What religion is Laura Dern?

Dern was raised Catholic. In an interview with Rolling Stone, Dern said, ”I am Catholic, as far as my religion, but I believe in reincarnation, divorce and abortion.” She also burns incense, lights candles, holds rock crystals in her hand and meditates. She said, “I like having time to light my candles and really get focused.”