Laura Dern has been a prominent actor for several decades, and her presence commands the screen whatever role she stars in. She recently won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Marriage Story, which was long overdue, considering the movies she’s starred in and the multitude of performances she has given. Indeed, Dern began her career as a teenager and has continued to find success across various genres on both the big and small screens.
Earlier this year, Dern reprised her role of Ellie Sattler in Jurassic World: Dominion. Though the film itself received largely negative reviews, Jurassic Park fans were nonetheless enthralled at seeing Dern return to the franchise. Next, Dern will appear in Florian Zeller’s The Son, his follow-up to The Father. She will star opposite Hugh Jackman and Anthony Hopkins. While we await the film’s release, here’s a look back at Dern’s best drama movies, ranked.
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7 October Sky
Universal Pictures
October Sky was released in 1999 and was directed by Joe Johnston, starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Chris Cooper, and Chris Owen alongside Dern. The film is based on the memoir of the same name, telling the story of Homer H. Hickman, a coal miner’s son who was inspired by the events of Sputnik 1 in 1957 to take up rocketry. Cooper is John Hickman, and Dern stars as his sympathetic teacher who helps him achieve his goals.
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
MOVIEWEB VIDEO OF THE DAY
6 Little Women
Columbia Pictures
Greta Gerwig’s 2019 revamp of Little Women (based on the eponymous Louisa May Alcott novel) was a huge success and featured a star-studded cast including Meryl Streep, Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, and Timothée Chalamet. Dern plays Marmee March, who was previously famously portrayed by Susan Sarandon in the 1994 film version. Dern was able to effortlessly bring back a well-known character and play the loving and supporting mother role in a way she does so easily.
5 Jurassic Park
With the release of Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster Jurassic Park in 1993, Dern found an enormous amount of success. Starring alongside Sam Neill and Jeff Goldblum, the movie, based on the novel by Michael Crichton, depicts dinosaurs brought back to life through scientific intervention, which goes extremely wrong after the dinosaurs escape and wreak havoc. Dern plays Dr Ellie Sattler and reprised the role in 2022’s Jurassic World: Dominion. The film is action-packed from start to finish, and easily one of her most iconic roles to date.
4 Blue Velvet
De Laurentiis Entertainment Group
Blue Velvet was Dern’s first collaboration with David Lynch, and she co-starred alongside Dennis Hopper and Isabella Rossellini as Sandy Williams. The film is a twisted neo-noir journey that highlights a violent undertone to an American suburb, which appears idyllic on the surface. Dern is the embodiment of good in the action-packed, dramtic film, which takes viewers on a bizarre and twisted journey.
3 Rambling Rose
New Line Cinema
Rambling Rose was released in 1991 and tells the story of a family in Georgia during the Great Depression, who hires a woman named Rose (Dern) to work for them in order for her to avoid sex work. Rose develops feelings for both the father and son of the house she lives in, making for some dramatic and tense scenes. Dern’s performance as Rose is a highlight of the film, and it’s a forgotten gem in the actress’ dramatic filmography.
2 Wild
Pacific Standard
Jean-Marc Vallee’s Wild (2014) saw Dern co-star alongside Reese Witherspoon in a story based on Cheryl Strayed’s memoir. Witherspoon took the lead role, and Dern played her mother, Bobbi. Cheryl is struggling after the death of her mother. Dern beautifully plays her mother in a series of flashbacks, which let us know how kind and comforting she was, making Cheryl’s grief all the more understandable. She would earn an Oscar nod for this role, which was well deserved.
1 Marriage Story
Netflix
2019’s Marriage Story was directed by Noah Baumbach and centered around Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson playing couple going through a messy divorce. Dern plays Nicole’s lawyer, Nora, who steals every scene she’s in. Her performance is cutting and adds to the drama of the film, resulting in a deserved Oscar win for Best Supporting Actress. Dern is effortless in her acting and has a flair for dramatic effect, which is evident in this performance.
