Laura Dern’s 10 Best Movies And TV Shows

The best Laura Dern movies and TV shows highlight why the Jurassic Park star is so highly regarded, and showcase just how critically acclaimed she’s become over her decades-long career. Born in L.A. in 1967, Laura Dern has been an active presence on screens since the early 1970s, though her first credited role didn’t come until 1980 when she played the part of Debbie in director Adrian Lyne’s coming-of-age drama Foxes.

Over the decades since, Laura Dern has taken on dozens of highly acclaimed and celebrated roles, becoming an Academy Award, Golden Globe, and Primetime Emmy-winning actress. While many viewers know her most for playing Dr. Ellie Sattler in the Jurassic Park franchise, her range is much wider than portraying an awestruck paleontologist who finds herself face-to-face with living dinosaurs. The best Laura Dern movies and TV shows highlight just how talented she truly is, and why she’s one of the most celebrated actresses working today as far as many critics are concerned.

10

F Is For Family (2015-2021)

Laura Dern Plays Sue Murphy

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f is for family

F Is for Family

Comedy

Release Date

2015 – 2020

Network

Netflix

Showrunner

Bill Burr, Michael Price

Writers

Bill Burr

Cast

  • Headshot Of Bill Burr In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Shout! Studios

    Bill Burr

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    Justin Long

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    Sam Rockwell

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Created by Bill Burr and Michael Price, Netflix’s 2D-animated sitcom F is For Family revolves around Frank, Susan, Kevin, William, and Maureen, the dysfunctional Murphy family who tries to survive the hardships of 1970s rural America in the fictional town of Rustvale, Pennsylvania. The series, inspired by Burr’s childhood, received five seasons from 2015 to 2021.

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While voice acting hasn’t played a prominent part of her career, her role in the 2015-2021 animated Netflix comedy F is for Family is more than deserving of a place among the best Laura Dern movies and TV shows. Co-starring alongside comedian Bill Burr, F is for Family focuses on the Murphy family in the 1970s. It’s an incredibly well-crafted slice of social satire and critical comedy on the modern era, and many of these themes are explored through Laura Dern’s character, Sue.

Dern gives an exceptional vocal performance as Susan, the aspiring entrepreneur who finds her dreams and ambitions constantly held back both by the glass ceiling and the backward beliefs of her husband, Frank (Burr). While it’s not her most acclaimed role, it’s still one of the strongest performances Laura Dern has given – and among the most subtle – and should be considered essential viewing for her fans.

9

Blue Velvet (1986)

Laura Dern Plays

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Blue Velvet

R
CrimeDocumentaryDramaMysteryThriller

Release Date

January 1, 1986

Runtime

120 minutes

Director

David Lynch

Writers

David Lynch

Cast

  • Headshot Of Isabella Rossellini In The Los Angeles screening of 'Spaceman'

    Isabella Rossellini

  • Headshot Of Kyle MacLachlan In The 7th Canneseries International Festival pink carpet day 2.

    Kyle MacLachlan

  • Headshot oF Dennis Hopper

    Dennis Hopper

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Written and directed by David Lynch, Blue Velvet is a 1986 Thriller and Mystery film. Starring Kyle MacLachlan and Isabella Rossellini, the film follows a young man that becomes embroiled in a crime.

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1986’s Blue Velvet was one of the earliest movies in the career of legendary director David Lynch and his frequent collaborator Kyle MacLachlan of Twin Peaks fame. It also marks the best movie or TV show appearance from Laura Dern’s earlier career, as her appearance as Sandy Williams was only her 6th credited role in a feature film. It was also an early indicator of the success she’d soon come to enjoy, as critics praised her performance and she was nominated for Best Female Lead at the 1987 Independent Spirit Awards.

Laura Dern gives a memorable performance as Sandy Williams, the daughter of police detective John Williams. Sandy becomes the romantic interest for MacLachlan’s Jeffrey Beaumont, and soon finds herself caught up in a bizarre criminal case alongside him. It’s among the most violent films Laura Dern has appeared in so far, and its many dark moments ensure that Blue Velvet will forever stand out among her best movies.

Naomi Watts and Laura Harring in Mulholland Drive

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8

We Don’t Live Here Anymore (2004)

Laura Dern Plays Terry Linden

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We Don’t Live Here Anymore

R
DramaRomance

Release Date

August 13, 2004

Runtime

101 minutes

Director

John Curran

Writers

Andre Dubus

Producers

Harvey Kahn, Mark Ruffalo, Naomi Watts

Cast

  • Headshot Of Laura Dern

    Laura Dern

    Terry Linden

  • Headshot Of Mark Ruffalo In The 76th Annual DGA Awards

    Mark Ruffalo

    Jack Linden

  • Headshot Of Peter Krause

    Peter Krause

    Hank Evans

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We Don’t Live Here Anymore follows married couple Jack and Terry Linden through relational turmoil as Jack engages in an affair with Edith, the wife of his best friend, Hank Evans. This infidelity triggers a reciprocal relationship between Terry and Hank, threatening the stability of both marriages and friendships.

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Director John Curran’s 2004 drama We Don’t Live Here Anymore adapts the short story of the same name alongside Adultery, both written by author Andre Dubus. One of the best Laura Dern movies from the 2000s saw her star alongside Mark Ruffalo, Peter Krause, and Naomi Watts, and her role as Terry Linden marks one of the most grounded and relatable of her career.

The story of We Don’t Live Here Anymore explores a failing marriage and extramarital affairs. Laura Dern has incredible chemistry with Mark Ruffalo as Terry’s husband, Jack, and Peter Krause as Hank Evans, the man with whom Terry has an affair. Like all of her best movies and TV shows, We Don’t Live Here Anymore brought Laura Dern significant praise from critics, and saw her win the award for Best Supporting Actress from the Boston Society of Film Critics the year the movie was released.

7

Little Women (2019)

Laura Dern Plays Marmee March

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Little Women

PG
RomanceDrama

Release Date

December 25, 2019

Runtime

135 minutes

Director

Greta Gerwig

Writers

Greta Gerwig

Cast

  • Headshot Of Emma Watson In The Kering Foundation Caring For Women Dinner

    Emma Watson

  • Headshot Of Timothée Chalamet

    Timothée Chalamet

  • Bob Odenkirk Profile Picture

    Bob Odenkirk

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The seventh film adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s 1868 novel, Greta Gerwig’s Little Women details the coming-of-age story of the March sisters, four young women living in Concord, Massachusetts during the American Civil War. The film stars Saoirse Ronan as Jo March, with Florence Pugh, Emma Watson, and Eliza Scanlen playing Amy, Meg, and Beth respectively. The film received critical acclaim upon its release and garnered six nominations and one win at the 92nd Academy Awards. 

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2019’s Little Women is Barbie director Greta Gerwig’s adaptation of the renowned 1868 novel by Louisa May Alcott, which has been brought to screens several times over the last few decades. The 2019 version featured an all-star ensemble cast which, alongside Laura Dern, also included Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Meryl Streep, and Timothee Chalamet, among others. The film was received with huge acclaim, being nominated for a staggering 144 awards of which it won 51.

The praise heaped on the 2019 adaptation of Little Women included recognition of the strong performance of Laura Dern as Marmee March, the mother of the March sisters on whom the story focuses. Critics lauded Dern’s appearance, and she received awards for Best Supporting Actress from the National Society of Film Critics and the New York Film Critics Circle for her role in the coming-of-age period drama.

6

The Tale (2018)

Laura Dern Plays Jennifer Fox

Laura Dern in The Tale

2018’s The Tale is one of several direct-to-TV movies Laura Dern has appeared in throughout her career, and the HBO original is without a doubt her best work in this format. Directed by Jennifer Fox, who Dern plays in the movie itself, The Tale is a true story adapting Fox’s own experience of child sexual abuse and her attempts to overcome the trauma from it in later life.

Given the incredibly heavy subject matter, it’s no surprise that her performance as Jennifer Fox in The Tale marks one of the most emotionally intense of Laura Dern’s career. Few other roles she’s taken on showcase her range as an actor quite as well, and this is reflected by the accolades she received for the HBO movie. These include nominations for a Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Miniseries or Motion Picture – Television, a Critics Choice Award nomination for Best Actress in a Movie/Miniseries, and a Primetime Emmy nomination for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Television Movie.

5

Big Little Lies (2017-2019)

Laura Dern Plays Renata Klein

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Big Little Lies

TV-MA
DramaCrimeMystery

Release Date

2017 – 2024

Network

HBO Max

Showrunner

David E. Kelley

Directors

Jean-Marc Vallee, Andrea Arnold

Writers

David E. Kelley

Cast

  • Headshot Of Reese Witherspoon In The 49th AFI Life Achievement Award

    Reese Witherspoon

  • Headshot Of Nicole Kidman In The Los Angeles Premiere Of Netflix's 'A Family Affair'

    Nicole Kidman

  • Headshot Of Zoë Kravitz In The Vanity Fair Oscar Party

    Zoë Kravitz

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In Monterey, California, five women meet through the elementary school while their children attend. Despite the friendships they form, each of them is harboring secrets, which have the potential to destroy the fragile balance of their lives.

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Several of Laura Dern’s best TV shows were HBO originals, and among the strongest is the 2017-2019 black comedy drama Big Little Lies. Created by David E. Kelley, Big Little Lies adapts the 2014 novel of the same name by Liane Moriarty. Laura Dern appears as part of an ensemble cast that also includes the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Shailene Woodley, and Zoe Kravitz, with Alexander Skarsgård, Meryl Streep, and Kathryn Newton also appearing. The series focuses on a group of five women (including Laura Dern’s Renata Klein) who find themselves tied up in a homicide investigation.

Dern’s performance as Renata received an incredible amount of praise, especially when it came to the chemistry she shared with many of her co-stars. Among the accolades Big Little Lies brought her are a Golden Globe win for Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries, or Motion Picture Made For Television, A Primetime Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited or Anthology Series or Movie, and a Critics Choice Award for Best Supporting Actress in a Movie/Miniseries.

A composite image of Zoe Kravitz looking on in front of the rest of the cast of Big Little Lies

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4

Wild (2014)

Laura Dern Plays Bobbi Grey

Laura Dern in Wild

2014’s Wild is the biographical adventure drama from director Jean-Marc Vallée and screenwriter Nick Hornby (the British author also known for novels like High Fidelity and About a Boy). It’s one of several entries among the best Laura Dern movies that saw her receive recognition at the Academy Awards, securing her a nomination for Best Supporting Actress (as well as a Best Actress nod for co-star Reece Witherspoon).

The incredibly grounded yet awe-inspiring story of Wild is adapted from the memoir of author Cheryl Strayed titled Wild: From Lost to Found on the Pacific Crest Trail. Witherspoon plays Cheryl Strayed in the movie, with Laura Dern playing her mother, Barbara “Bobbi” Grey. It’s an incredibly emotional role, as Bobbi’s death is the catalyst for Strayed’s decision to hike 2,650 miles along the Pacific Crest Trail, and the flashbacks Dern features in are among the strongest scenes of her career.

3

Enlightened (2011-2013)

Laura Dern Plays Alice Jellicoe

Laura Dern in Englightened

The 2011 to 2013 HBO comedy-drama EnglIghtened stands out among the best Laura Dern movies and TV shows not only because of her performance as central character Alice Jellicoe, but also because she co-created the series alongside Mike White. The series focuses on Dern’s Alice who returns to her former employer following a mental breakdown. However, she is demoted from her former position, and this leads her to consider whistleblowing about their many illicit activities.

Like many of the strongest entries among her best TV and movie roles, Enlightened brought Laura Dern significant critical acclaim and multiple accolades. These included a Golden Globe win for Best Actress in a Television Series – Musical or Comedy in 2012, and a Primetime Emmy nomination for Oustanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series the same year.

2

Marriage Story (2019)

Laura Dern Plays Nora Fanshaw

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Marriage Story

R
DramaComedy

Release Date

December 6, 2019

Runtime

136 minutes

Director

Noah Baumbach

Writers

Noah Baumbach

Cast

  • Headshot Of Ray Liotta

    Ray Liotta

  • Headshot Of Merritt Wever In The The Walt Disney Company Emmy Awards Party

    Merritt Wever

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    Kyle Bornheimer

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Directed by Noah Baumbach, Marriage Story follows Charlie and Nicole Barber, a theater director and his actress wife, through the dramatic disintegration of their marriage and subsequent divorce. Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson star as Charlie and Nicole, with a further cast that includes Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta. 

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The 2019 drama Marriage Story, from director Noah Baumbach, is one of the most authentic and grounded portrayals of divorce ever put to screen. While the cast was led by Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson as the central couple in the narrative, Laura Dern also featured in a supporting role as Nora Fanshaw, the lawyer of Scarlett Johansson’s Nicole Barber.

Despite not being one half of the couple Marriage Story focused on, the role of Nora afforded Laura Dern plenty of screentime, and her excellent performance ensured Marriage Story will forever be counted among her best movies. Dern received multiple accolades for the film too, including an Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress and a Golden Globe in the same category in 2020.

1

Jurassic Park (1993)

Laura Dern Plays Dr. Ellie Sattler

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Jurassic Park

PG-13
Adventure Sci-Fi

Release Date

June 11, 1993

Runtime

127 minutes

Director

Steven Spielberg

Writers

Michael Crichton, David Koepp

Producers

Gerald R. Molen

Cast

  • Headshot Of Sam Neill

    Sam Neill

    Grant

  • Headshot Of Laura Dern

    Laura Dern

    Ellie

  • Headshot Of Jeff Goldblum In The 2024 BAFTA Television Awards

    Jeff Goldblum

    Malcolm

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Jurassic Park is a science fiction adventure film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on Michael Crichton’s novel. Released in 1993, it follows a wealthy entrepreneur who creates a theme park with living dinosaurs. When security systems fail, experts and visitors experience the perilous reality of the park.

Sequel(s)

The Lost World: Jurassic Park, Jurassic Park 3

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While it’s not her most critically acclaimed role, it’s hard to deny that the best Laura Dern movie is 1993’s Jurassic Park, in which she played the enthusiastic paleobotanist Dr. Ellie Sattler. No film or TV show Dern has been cast in has had anywhere near the cultural impact of Steven Spielberg’s acclaimed dinosaur epic, which was the highest-grossing movie of all time until Titanic released 4 years later in 1997.

Laura Dern would go on to reprise the role of Ellie in 2001’s Jurassic Park III and 2022’s Jurassic World Dominion. What’s more, she was also nominated for a Saturn Award for Best Film Lead Actress in 1994 for her performance. It’s inarguably the role that defined her career and helped launch to the stardom she currently enjoys, and no other entry in her broad filmography on the big or small screens is more deserving of the title of best Laura Dern movie or TV show.