E-mail a friendLaura Dern
original airdate December 15, 2006
A child of actor parents, Laura Dern had an early taste of film sets and moviemaking. She grew up unafraid to tackle unglamorous roles and has appeared in such diverse films as Wild at Heart, We Don't Live Here Anymore and Rambling Rose - a performance which marked the first time a mother and daughter ever received Oscar nods for the same movie. Dern is an outspoken activist and supports many charitable causes, including the Children's Health Environmental Coalition. Inland Empire is her latest film.
Laura Dern
Tavis: Please welcome Laura Dern to this program. The Oscar-nominated actress has starred in many notable films, including "Rambling Rose," "Wild at Heart" and "Jurassic Park." She's once again teamed up with director, David Lynch, in the new film, "Inland Empire." She also serves as producer on the film. Here now some scenes from "Inland Empire."
[A film clip is shown]
Tavis: Sometimes the best part of this show, Laura Dern, is what happens off camera. I'm not sure that's a compliment or a dis of my own television program (laughter), but that said, during the clip, Brian, our floor director, said, "I like it already" just watching these strange scenes. That's what Brian thinks. I'm thinking this is strange. Laura Dern says, "Well, at least you know you're in a David Lynch film." All the commentary behind the scenes happening as that clip is playing. First of all, nice to see you.
Laura Dern: So great to see you.
Tavis: So tell me what we just saw.
Dern: I don't think I can (laughter). You know you're in a David Lynch trailer.
Tavis: That's a real problem. Tell me about the project.
Dern: It was an incredible experience. It was a three-year journey. I have been on the road with David for a long time, having started working with him when I was seventeen on "Blue Velvet." So knowing each other, we had the opportunity to have a relationship where he could call and say, "Let's experiment," which was his first request. He's been very interested in exploring digital media and the film was shot entirely on a Sony TD-150 camcorder which was part -
Tavis: - the entire film?
Dern: The entire film on that camera. That at its core as an experiment, it became quickly shooting a few scenes at a time. He'd write a scene and we'd shoot and we did that several times and then the movie sort of clicked for him. David certainly lives and dances around a very surreal and abstract world, but within it, there are very specific ideas and themes that he explores. So for an actor, that's the journey I take.
Tavis: There are three or four things I want to ask just based on that one comment. First of all, in no particular order, what are the themes that you were drawn to for this particular project?
Dern: You know, to seek first and foremost generally about working with David Lynch because that is the first thing that I think any actor goes, "Yes, I'm there," when David calls. At this moment, in this country's history and I mean this culturally, politically, artistically, to work with a nonconformist is as essential as anything any artist could have the privilege to do and probably needs to do.
Tavis: I get that.
Dern: So I feel just so lucky to work with anybody who's actually making their movie and using their voice in a way they see fit. Within that, I think -
Tavis: - hold the phone. Before you go further, you said a phrase that got me going. I'll come back, I promise. When you say to work with a nonconformist, I think I get that. What do you mean by a nonconformist in this town right about now? What does that mean?
Dern: Well, in this country, it means anybody who is actually using their voice to tell the truth for themselves.
Tavis: Okay, I got you.
Dern: And I know you know what that means on a lot of levels (laughter).
Tavis: I'm with you now.
Dern: But within filmmaking, directors are required to often don't have final cut and are required to deliver the movie that seems to conform to that which is the easiest buck to make. It's a conglomerate and I understand that, but it's also a dying breed in the film business when a director just makes his vision and uses the actress he wants to use and tells the story he's interested in telling, so that's what I mean.
Tavis: Let me get back to those other things I wanted to raise, though. You are - how might I put this - you are the independent film poster child. I mean, if you are an independent filmmaker in this town, you know, and you're trying to get a fine actress or actor to be in your project, Laura Dern's name is on the list.
One, because you know she's good at what she does, but number two, you at least think you have a chance of getting an audience, getting an opportunity for her to read your script. If it's an indie film, Laura Dern loves indie films. You're an Academy-nominated actor and yet, for some reason or reasons, you are drawn to these independent projects, even those that don't have David Lynch's name on it. Where does that come from? What's that all about?
Dern: Two places. One is that I love filmmakers and helping facilitate and collaborate on their vision. Two is great stories. Often that's where the great stories reveal themselves and sometimes not. I've worked in both ways. But also, you know, to find characters that are flawed and human protagonists in a movie, that aren't necessarily heroic at every turn.
For some reason, sometimes independent film has been more comfortable with that type of lead character in a movie. That's very much what I was raised on in watching films of the 1970s. That was sort of the norm of movies, studio and independent.
Tavis: You like, to your point now, these characters that are flawed. What do you have against the hero or the shero? You could play those as well.
Dern: Oh, I love them (laughter).
Tavis: Why are you drawn to these flawed personalities?
Dern: Well, I love the idea of a hero or heroine, but life doesn't really work that way and we all are finding our way. Like documentary film, I believe in feature film as a medium for us to explore and grow from and within. I've learned a lot of things watching film and documentaries, so I love it. As an audience, I love to witness the life experience in it in storytelling.
Tavis: Let me go back now and circle back, if I can, to "Inland Empire" specifically. We talked about the fact that you wanted to work with Lynch because he's good, he's a nonconformist. Let's go back to the story itself and specifically the character that you play in "Inland Empire."
Dern: Well, it's also incredible to have a director call you and ask you to play a few characters in a movie, which he did. There are at least two plots running alongside each other. There is an actress who is cast in a role in a film and it's sort of the story of the making of this film. There also is the character within the film that, as the audience, you almost get lost inside the movie, just like in a way the actor might be getting lost inside the character. Then there is a third character which, in a way, within the character in the story, there is a deeply troubled woman that kind of comes out of it.
I think what's really happening is David is exploring the dismantling of a woman going through a deep crisis in her life and perhaps the resurrection of that character. To some people, it may be three very different stories and, to others, they may be aspects of one character. David is a huge fan of Fellini and other filmmakers who worked in the world of the abstract, loves investigating movies where, as an audience, you get to intuit your way through it. It's not an obvious plot where you go and you know exactly what you're going to get.
Tavis: Indie films, as you know, most often don't, you know, make the kind of money and therefore don't pay you the kind of money that a major "Jurassic Park" production would, and you know those projects as well. That said, tell me whether or not you think it is expecting too much of a moviegoer today to sit through a project where he or she has to intuit his or her way through it as opposed to - speaking of nonconformist - as opposed to the way that we have conformed to, which is that we are told the story, pulled all the way through it and, when you go to be entertained, some of us don't really want to work that hard.
Dern: Right.
Tavis: You want that experience, but you're suggesting to me that this is something you got to intuit and find your way through. Is that a good thing or a bad thing?
Dern: You know, there's plenty for everybody. There's a multiplex just awaiting for anybody that wants to come in and see a variety of things (laughter). You know, I was just saying that I'm a great admirer of your show and what a privilege it is to be on it because I love, as an audience, to actually learn about the individual and the history that the individual comes from, etc. as opposed to a very quick, funny story about the making of the show and you've got three minutes on the talk show and that's its own style.
Tavis: I'm actually blown away. You actually learn something watching me (laughter)?
Dern: Yes. I was saying the Coretta Scott King interview was one of my favorite interviews I've ever seen. But with all sincerity, you know, there are people who watch television, they want quick info, they want the update on the news or they really want to know the truth about what's going on in the world. You know, there are things that float peoples' boats differently.
Tavis: I'm laughing internally because there's a guy named Neal Kendall who actually works on producing this show. I know he's in the booth right now jumping up and down about the fact that what you just said is a clip for this show. It's going to go on the promotional reel (laughter) and everybody in the studio knows what I'm talking about. He's like, "There's something very nice said about our show. That will be on the promotional reel with Jimmy Carter and Harrison Ford and everybody else, so thank you for coming on this show."
Dern: With great sincerity.
Tavis: I appreciate that. Tell me whether or not you think you had the option to do anything other than what you're doing. Your mother has sat in this very same chair, great actress, Diane Ladd. Your father, of course, Bruce Dern. You didn't have much choice, did you?
Dern: Uh, on a soul level, probably not (laughter). I think I was deemed, you know, to come in doing this, if you will. But as far as my parents were concerned, I had plenty of opportunities. In fact, they begged me to do anything but this, particularly my mom because just because she's concerned about it being at times perhaps a vanity-oriented gig.
Tavis: You know, the irony of that is - right quick with forty seconds to go - the irony of that is, that advice notwithstanding, she sat in this chair and told me the proudest day of her life beyond having you was that dual Academy nomination that you both received. That was one of the proudest days of her life. I assume yours as well.
Dern: Absolutely. To go with my Grandma Mary and have her see her daughter and granddaughter together share that day was very beautiful.
Tavis: Yeah. Well, I'm delighted to have you on. Give my best to your mother -
Dern: I will -
Tavis: - and your husband, Ben Harper.
Dern: - who loves this show and you so much, so I will absolutely.
Tavis: Give him my regards. Nice to see you.
Dern: So great to see you.
Tavis: "Inland Empire" starring one Laura Dern. That's our show for tonight. You can catch me on the weekends on PRI, Public Radio International. Check your local listings. I'll see you back here next time, though, on PBS. Until then, good night from Los Angeles. Thanks for watching and, as always, keep the faith.
Back to December 15, 2006