She retained her statuesque figure, her blonde, curly mane cascading over her shoulders, her dazzling smile. From the top of her seventy-nine meter perched on heels, the elegant Laura Dern, 56, is passing through Paris for a tribute paid to her by the Cinémathèque française, and to support The Son, by Florian Zeller, a poignant drama in which she plays Kate, a distraught mother faced with her teenage son suffering from depression. A tailor-made role for the heroine of Jurassic Park and series Big Little Lieswho signs a performance all in sobriety and restraint against Hugh Jackman, transfigured in the role of her ex-husband.
How was your meeting with Florian Zeller?
He had asked for an appointment to submit a script to me. I had read his plays The father, The mother et The sonand obviously seen in the cinema The Father [2020], who had captivated me with her writing, her staging and her interpretation. When I dove into the script of The Son, my heart broke. This feeling of powerlessness in the face of a person we love and who is in crisis is unbearable. I admire the way Florian confronts us with this drama, without ever giving answers to our questions.
I admire the way in which Florian confronts us with this drama, without ever giving answers to our questions.
As a mother, were you not afraid to take on such a role?
Each time I approach a new character, I nourish an apprehension: I know that I will glimpse an unknown, and perhaps frightening, facet of myself, but that it will broaden my understanding of the human being. Being a parent brings its share of joys and torments. We go as far as necessary to help our children. The team of The Son lived the experience in a very intimate way because we all have someone around us whose mental health is deteriorating. It’s maddening! When I showed the film to my 20 year old son and my 17 year old daughter, the age of the hero, they were shocked because depression is hitting young people everywhere these days with Covid, climate change and the networks social. And love is not enough to relieve them. Like my character, I tend to tell myself that the problem comes from me. It is harder to admit that you need outside assistance… This profound role has transformed me as a mother: I listen more, I dare to admit my weaknesses, and I am happy that my children go GOOD !
Can cinema help to tackle difficult subjects?
Absolutely. Today, one in three adolescents suffers from severe clinical depression or multiple anxieties; two years ago, it was one in ten! And no one is immune, regardless of country or social category. The Son is without a doubt one of the most trying shoots of my career, but I had no choice: communication between parents and children must be encouraged, it is essential and urgent. I’m not afraid to put myself in danger as an actress, to push my limits. I was well surrounded by Florian Zeller and Hugh Jackman. They have a nobility, a kindness, a generosity, an attention that touches me. Florian trusts his interpreters: he does not push them to their limits because he knows that the truth will eventually reveal itself to them.
This profound role has transformed me as a mother: I listen more, I dare to admit my weaknesses, and I am delighted that my children are well!
Do you enjoy practicing the splits between Jurassic World – The World After (2022) and The Son?
Yes, provided that I like the director: it’s more important than the role I’m offered because he’s the person I’m going to dance with and go on an adventure. I did not shun my pleasure to return to the universe Jurassic Park, I was nostalgic! I loved finding myself once again in front of the dinosaurs. I’ve always been a physical actress: I love stunts and jungle chases. And what a joy to spend time again with Steven Spielberg to reflect on the evolution of the saga that crosses the generations! He encourages teamwork and includes us in the debate all the time, knowing exactly what he wants… We’ve been a family since the release of the first feature film in 1993, thirty years ago already!
David Lynch remains your great love story?
Yes, he is my mentor and I will be faithful to him forever. He sees all the women in me. For Sailor and Lula [1990], his indications to help me define my character boiled down to “chewing-gum” and “mystery”. Deal with that! [Rires.] I remember he invited Nicolas Cage and me to dinner in Los Angeles. After fifteen minutes, a fire broke out in the building next door. He said that our movie couple would cause sparks! He also knows how to be more precise: he himself defined my lipstick shade in the series Twin Peaks. He is a complete and visionary artist who constantly experiments. Whether it’s a film, a painting, a song, his famous online weather reports, he is always creating, in total humility.
You have rubbed shoulders with the greatest authors. What did you learn from them?
J’ai croisé Peter Bogdanovich, Clint Eastwood, Paul Thomas Anderson, Kelly Reichardt, Alexander Payne, Greta Gerwig et Noah Baumbach [qui lui a valu de décrocher l’oscar de la meilleure actrice dans un second rôle pour Marriage Story en 2020]. I’ve been so lucky since I was 15! It doesn’t matter if I have a stake or if I play the main character, the important thing is to learn and have fun. For example, I was a huge Star Wars fan, so I didn’t hesitate when Rian Johnson offered me The Last Jedi [2017]. Sharing a scene with Princess Leia, telling her: “May the Force be with you”, was a dream. In addition, it is the most feminist episode of the franchise. What delights me!
Was the cinema your dream as a little girl?
Completely. I became aware of this quite quickly, at the age of 6 or 7 – I assure you that it is true. At 9, I started to study the subject closely and at 11, I auditioned behind the back of my parents, both comedians. [Bruce Dern et Diane Ladd]. I landed a small part and begged my mother to accept. She was nervous about me working so young, but I cried a lot and she gave in. I took my first steps in front of the camera in Alice is no longer here [1974] next to my mother. I had to eat ice cream. We restarted the take nineteen times and I did it without complaining. Martin Scorsese said: “She swallowed ten sorbets and didn’t vomit, it’s good: she will be an actress! » I used this sentence to manipulate mom later. [Rires.] A few years later, while dad was filming Family conspiracy [1976], Alfred Hitchcock had provided me with a miniature director’s chair for me to sit next to him in front of the combo. I was seduced by his humor. The cinema allowed me to move forward in life, also following the example of my godmother Shelley Winters or Bette Davis.
The Cinémathèque française has rolled out the red carpet for you, what does that mean to you?
It was wonderful ! I can’t believe this honor bestowed on me. Now there is a seat engraved with my name in the room. Incredible… I grew up watching French classics, especially those with Simone Signoret, my mother’s favorite actress. I showed recently Devilish [1955], from Henri-Georges Clouzot, to my daughter. Otherwise, I love Eric Rohmer, Louis Malle, Jean-Jacques Annaud. It takes me back to the 1970s in the United States where people like Hal Ashby, Robert Altman, Roger Corman claimed their independence. Today, Hollywood is ruled by money. When the financial stakes are enormous, there is less freedom. But we can give streaming platforms the merit of supporting the ambitious projects of talents like Guillermo del Toro or Alfonso Cuarón who are struggling to find investors. In the United States, Sony Classics still takes the risk of distributing films like The Son or those by Pedro Almodóvar. It is more and more difficult. The experience of the room remains vital to share strong emotions. [En français :] Long live the cinema!
“The Son”, By Florian Zeller, with Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby and Zen McGrath. 2:03 a.m. Out Wednesday.
In New York, Kate visits her ex-husband Peter – who has rebuilt his life with another woman – as their 17-year-old son, Nicholas, is unwell. A month he skipped high school. The brilliant businessman with political ambitions welcomes the teenager to his home but very quickly feels overwhelmed… After the masterpiece The Father (2020), director and screenwriter Florian Zeller continues to adapt his theatrical work to the cinema with this overwhelming and unforgettable requiem, which distills trouble and unease from the very first moment. Chronicle of an announced tragedy, The Son does not bet on suspense but auscultates from a clinical point of view the reactions of the deprived entourage in the face of depression, the family unit which cracks irreparably. An implacable, precise mechanics then sets in, made of off-camera and unsaid things, wandering between a solar past and a twilight present, as the noose tightens. Ruthless and radical, Florian Zeller gets rid of all artifice to focus on the essentials in a closed-door setting punctuated by intense verbal contests. And turns out to be an immense director of actors.