Laura Dern Biography: Age, Net Worth, Children, Movies, Height, Parents, Awards, Ex-Husband

Laura Elizabeth Dern also known as Laura Dern is an acclaimed American actress and producer known for her fearless, emotionally complex performances across film, television, and theatre.

She has received an Academy Award, a Primetime Emmy, a Golden Globe, and a BAFTA, achieving the rare Triple Crown of Acting. She is widely recognized for iconic roles in Blue Velvet (1986), Jurassic Park (1993) and its sequels, Wild (2014), Marriage Story (2019), and the HBO series Big Little Lies and Enlightened.

Quick Facts

• Full Name: Laura Elizabeth Dern
• Stage Name: Laura Dern
• Born: February 10, 1967
• Age: 59 years old
• Birthplace: Los Angeles, California, United States
• Nationality: American
• Ethnicity: American
• Occupation: Actress, Producer
• Height: 1.78 m
• Religion: Unknown
• Parents: Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd
• Siblings: Diane Elizabeth Dern
• Spouse: Ben Harper
• Children: Two
• Relationship: Single
• Net Worth: $25 million USD

Early Life and Education

Laura Dern was born on February 10, 1967, in Los Angeles, California, United States, to parents Bruce Dern, a renowned actor, and Diane Ladd, an Oscar-nominated actress. She has a half-sister, Diane Elizabeth Dern, who died at 18 months old from an accidental drowning before Laura was born.

Raised in a show-business family, she was exposed to acting from a young age and made her film debut at age 7 in Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore (1974), directed by Martin Scorsese and starring her mother. She attended the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) for two years, studying acting and English, before leaving to pursue her professional career full-time. Her ethnicity is American with English, German, and Irish ancestry. Her religion is unknown.

Career

Laura Dern began acting as a child and gained critical attention with Smooth Talk (1985) and Blue Velvet (1986). She achieved global fame as Dr. Ellie Sattler in Jurassic Park (1993) and its sequels. Notable films include Wild (2014), Marriage Story (2019), and Little Women (2019).

On television, she starred in Enlightened (2011–2013, Emmy win) and Big Little Lies (2017–2019, multiple Emmy nominations). She has also produced films and served as a jury member at the Cannes Film Festival. She continues to balance independent cinema, blockbusters, and prestige television with a reputation for bold, risk-taking roles.

Social Media

• Instagram Handle: @lauradern

Personal Life

Laura Dern, 59 years old and 1.78 m tall, is single. She was married to musician Ben Harper from 2005 to 2013; they have two children: son Ellery Walker Harper (born 2001) and daughter Jaya Harper (born 2004). She was previously in a long-term relationship with actor Jeff Goldblum (1985–1990) and briefly engaged to actor Billy Bob Thornton. No other marriages or current relationships are publicly detailed. She keeps her family life relatively private while occasionally speaking about co-parenting and her close bond with her children.

Net Worth

Laura Dern‘s net worth is estimated at $25 million USD. Her income primarily comes from leading and supporting roles in major films including Jurassic Park, Wild, and Marriage Story; critically acclaimed television series such as Big Little Lies and Enlightened; producing credits; residuals from streaming and syndication of her extensive body of work; and theatre performances.

Filmography

• Smooth Talk (1985)
• Blue Velvet (1986)
• Jurassic Park (1993)
• Wild (2014)
• Marriage Story (2019)
• Little Women (2019)
• Enlightened (2011–2013, TV series)
• Big Little Lies (2017–2019, TV series)
• Jurassic World Dominion (2022)