5 Off My Head - Make Laura Dern Cry Smile

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A very happy birthday today going out to one of my favorite actresses, Laura Dern. I wanted to make a list of my favorite performances of hers like I tend to do every so often on my favorite actors birthdays, but I usually keep such things to five and well, I'm looking at Laura Dern's roles through the years right now and I'll be damned if there are more than five to choose. I can't live without some of these!

So I'm cheating. I'm compressing three (four?) roles into one space here at the top. Sue me.

Sandy Williams, Blue Velvet

Lulu Fortune, Wild At Heart
Nikki Grace/Susan Blue, Inland Empire

Her work with David Lynch has been her career's saving grace, I think... some time passes, I forget how awesome she is, and then Lynch throws her in a movie and reminds the world that she's a national treasure of absolute bizarre proportions, in the literal and metaphysical sense.

Katherine Harris, Recount

Bret, Year of the Dog

"WOW that is a LOT to process."

Ruth Stoops, Citizen Ruth

"I slept in a few dumpsters.
Maybe I slept on some babies."

Terry Linden,
We Don't Live Here Anymore

"You say, "You are what you do"? Who really believes that? I mean, what does that mean? Does that mean I'm a cook, an errand runner, a fucker, a goddamn cleaning lady? Because if you, you bastard, lost all discipline and folded up, and turned drunk and got bald and lost everything, I'd love you. I love you. You, Jack. "

And a special shout-out to Dr. Ellie Sattler, of course!


The movie that brought this lady into my young life.
I love you, Laura. Even when I want to make you cry.
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