Laura Dern isn't clinging to her youth
Hollywood star Laura Dern has no desire to cling on to her youth.
Laura Dern is not interested in clinging to her youth.
The 59-year-old actress hopes that Hollywood continues to explore male and female characters "at every age with all the depth they deserve".
Laura told AARP: "Someone told me I was brave for being willing to age on screen — to be myself at every age and not hide the process of aging, which should be empowering and beautiful, because it has always been in French and Italian cinema.
"I remember growing up with young men, and we’d go see a film with, say, [the late French actor] Emmanuelle Riva at a much older age, and they’d be like, ‘Oh, she’s so gorgeous. She’s so sexy. How old is she? 72? Oh, God, she’s so gorgeous.’ My friends in L.A. don’t say that.
"So I hope that we continue to explore male and female characters at every age with all the depth they deserve."
Laura particularly enjoys playing complex characters at this stage of her career.
She said: "I’m excited to dedicate myself to understanding human behaviour more patiently. I love living in the grey far more today than I did at 20, so the complexity of character I’m interested in playing and can play has only expanded."
Laura has been afforded the space to grow and mature in the spotlight - but she doesn't believe that her experience is reflected more broadly.
The actress previously told The Independent: "Lately, I have never seen more shame around ageing and women as public figures, and it’s just so tragic."
Laura is the daughter of actors Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd, and she recalled overhearing conversations about women ageing in the movie business.
She shared: "It’s so much worse now than for my mother’s generation. I remember, when I was a child, hearing her friends talk about the pressure at 70 to get a facelift if you wanted to keep working.
"But now I’m hearing my 21-year-old daughter’s friends say, ‘You should get Botox now so that you’re never wrinkled.’"
