“Pisses Me Off”: Laura Dern’s School Forced Her To Drop Out To Film Breakout Movie & Now They Teach It

Laura Dern explains how her school made a turn around, as they now teach her breakout role there after forcing her to drop out to make it. Dern is an acclaimed actor, known for roles in films such as Jurassic Park, Marriage Story, Wild, and Blue Velvet. She has been nominated for three Oscars throughout her career, winning in 2020 for Best Supporting Actress in the Noah Baumbach drama Marriage Story. She has also been nominated for multiple Emmys, winning in 2017 for Big Little Lies.

Speaking on the Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, Dern explains why she had to drop out of school to make Blue Velvet. Dern attended UCLA for just two days before getting her Blue Velvet role. When she approached the head of the film department to request a leave of absence, she was told firmly “it’s not going to happen.” At the time, the professor in question thought she would be “insane” to “give up [her] college education for this,” but now, the school teaches the film. Check out the full story from Dern below:

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.’

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.’

First of all, if you make this choice, you are no longer welcome at UCLA. You’ll be out. But secondly, having read this script, that you would give up your college education for this is insane.’

Obviously, it was an incredibly shocking script. 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?

Pisses me off.

Unpacking Blue Velvet’s Reception And Legacy

Blue Velvet Was Divisive

While Blue Velvet is revered now, there are reasons why the UCLA film school may have reacted in the way that they did. For one, the film is unusual in the plot itself, showing audiences the story of a seemingly quaint suburban neighborhood, where Kyle MacLachlan’s college student-aged character finds a severed year in his family’s front yard. The discovery of this ear leads him on his own investigation, unfolding a story where he interacts with enigmatic figures such as Dern’s character, who is the police chief’s daughter.

Blue Velvet was also known for its graphic sexual content, which was particularly shocking during its release in 1986. This element is part of what led to famously polarizing reactions to Blue Velvet during the time of its release. While some praised the movie’s ingenuity, others found it to be disturbing and over-the-top. This kind of divide was somewhat typical of a David Lynch film, as the director is a known risk-taker who is unafraid to challenge convention, and thus audiences, in his films.

Related

Every David Lynch Movie Ranked Worst To Best

David Lynch is a unique director whose filmography effectively captures what dreams feel like, with movies such as Eraserhead and Mulholland Drive.

Over time, Blue Velvet has become regarded as one of the greatest and most creative films ever made. Among the 84 critics’ reviews that have amassed over the years, Blue Velvet has a 95% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes. As much as it “pisses off” Dern, UCLA has experienced a similar evolution with Blue Velvet as many critics have. Initially shocked by the film’s script, the school came to recognize its merit, giving it masterpiece-enough status to be required viewing.

Source: Where Everybody Knows Your Name Podcast

Blue Velvet

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.

Release Date

January 1, 1986

Studio(s)

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

Distributor(s)

De Laurentiis Entertainment Group

Runtime

120 minutes

Budget

$6 million

Expand