Laura Dern claims she was forced to drop out of UCLA after landing Blue Velvet role - and now the college teaches the David Lynch film: 'P****s me off'
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Laura Dern said she was forced to drop out of college after landing her breakthrough role in David Lynch's 1986 film Blue Velvet — and now it's being taught at the school.
Dern, 57, famously played detective's daughter Sandy Williams in the neo-noir mystery thriller that spawned a decades-long collaboration with Oscar nominee Lynch, 78.
While appearing on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast this week, the actress, now 57, said she was enrolled at UCLA when she got the part back in 1985.
'I was 17, so excited to get into UCLA. I was there for two days, and I had auditioned and got offered the role in Blue Velvet,' she told co-hosts Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson, as per PEOPLE.
It was a major moment for Dern, who was totally 'ecstatic' after having 'worshipped' Lynch for years.
Laura Dern, 57, said she was forced to drop out of college after landing her breakthrough role in David Lynch's 1986 film Blue Velvet — and now it's being taught at the school; seen in February
Dern, 57, famously played Sandy Williams in the neo-noir mystery thriller that spawned a decades-long collaboration with Oscar nominee Lynch, 78
At that time, the writer-director had already garnered critical acclaim for films like The Elephant Man (1980), which earned him his first-ever Oscar nominations, and the surrealist horror flick Eraserhead (1977).
He'd also gained broader appeal after directing the film adaptation of the popular sci-fi novel, Dune, despite it being a commercial flop.
But Dern faced an immediate roadblock after she requested a leave of absence from the head of UCLA's film department so she could shoot Blue Velvet.
She said the department head responded with: 'Absolutely not.'
'I said, "I have this opportunity" and he said, "Well, I'll look at the script if you want to give me the script, but, you know, you're not going to get a leave of absence. It's not going to happen. It's not a medical emergency,"' Dern recalled.
Dern was called back to his office the next day after he had read the controversial script for himself.
But he only had more bad news for the aspiring actress.
'"First of all, if you make this choice, you are no longer welcome at UCLA. You'll be out,"' she recalled being told by the department head.
He also called Dern — who was a psychology major minoring in journalism — 'insane' for prioritizing the R-rated project over her education.
While appearing on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, the actress, now 57, said she was enrolled at UCLA when she got the part back in 1985; seen in January
It was a major moment for Dern, who was totally 'ecstatic' after having 'worshipped' director Lynch for years; Dern seen in Blue Velvet (1986)
'"But secondly, having read this script, that you would give up your college education for this is insane."'
Ultimately, Dern went on to star in Blue Velvet which earned Lynch a Best Director nom at the 1987 Academy Awards.
Dern acknowledged that it was 'an incredibly shocking script' — especially for the era — before revealing that Blue Velvet has now become part of the UCLA film school curriculum.
'I will just end by saying after my two days, today, if you want to get a masters in film at that school, when you write a thesis there are three movies you are required to study. And you know what one of them is?'
She added: 'P****s me off.'
Blue Velvet shot on location in Wilmington, North Carolina from August to November 1985.
'The discovery of a severed human ear found in a field leads a young man (Kyle MacLachlan) on an investigation related to a beautiful, mysterious nightclub singer (Isabella Rossellini) and a group of psychopathic criminals who have kidnapped her child,' reads the film's official description.
Dern's character Sandy Williams finds herself in a love triangle with Jeffrey Beaumont's (MacLachlan) and Dorothy Vallens (Rossellini).
Blue Velvet premiered in theaters on September 19, 1986 and also starred Dennis Hopper, Angelo Badalamenti and Brad Dourif.
It received an R-rating as it notably features full-frontal nudity, graphic violence and a rape scene — sparking major controversy following its release.
At that time, the writer-director had already garnered critical acclaim for films like The Elephant Man (1980), which earned him his first-ever Oscar noms, and the surrealist horror flick Eraserhead (1977); Lynch seen in 2017
But Dern faced an immediate roadblock after she requested a leave of absence from the head of UCLA's film department so she could shoot Blue Velvet — and he shot it down; seen in Blue Velvet (1986) with co-stars Kyle Maclachlan and Frances Bay
Dern acknowledged that it was 'an incredibly shocking script' — especially for the era — before revealing that Blue Velvet has now become part of the UCLA film school curriculum; seen in February
Blue Velvet divided critics as many hailed it a cult masterpiece while more mainstream critics like Roger Ebert infamously awarded it a one-star review.
Dern forged a tight creative bond with Lynch, who went on to cast her in two more of his films: Wild At Heart (1990) and Inland Empire (2006).
Outside of the David Lynch universe, Dern — who is the offspring of Oscar nominees Bruce Dern and Diane Ladd — has starred in several blockbuster franchises, including Jurassic Park and Jaws.
Dern won the Best Supporting Actress Oscar for her performance in Marriage Story (2020) and has received a total of three Academy Award nominations in her career.
She also found success in TV after co-staring alongside Reese Witherspoon and Nicole Kidman in two seasons of HBO's drama series Big Little Lies.
A third season is currently in pre-production.
