Laura Dern Packed Off to Movie Set by Famous Mom Aged 16 With Suitcase Stuffed Full of Condoms: ‘You Gotta Be Protected!’
Laura Dern recalled an awkward moment with her mother before leaving to film a project at age 16.
July 26 2024, Published 6:21 p.m. ET
Actress Laura Dern was sent off to a movie set with a suitcase full of condoms by her mother at just 16 years old, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
The Big Little Lies star, 57, recalled her mom, actress Diane Ladd, packing her a travel case of contraceptives as a teenager because she "must be protected."
Dern recalled her mom wanting her to be ‘protected’ when she left to film a project as a teenager.
During an appearance on former Cheers co-stars Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson's Where Everybody Knows Your Name podcast, the 57-year-old actress reflected on an unusual gift her mother gave her before she went off to film a project.
Dern explained that she was set to film with an actor who was around her age — and had a bit of a flirtatious reputation — which is why Ladd felt it was best to exercise caution in case any teenage hormones took over.
The ‘Big Little Lies’ star admitted that she was caught off guard by her mom packing contraceptives for her.
Dern told the podcast hosts: "So I'm going off to do a movie, and I'm 16, I think. And the actor [I was going to work with] also, you know, basically my age, but with a reputation already as a young, gorgeous, young movie star kid, was on that movie. So I'm packing up to get ready, and my mom brings me like a Samsonite makeup case."
Initially the actress thought the Samsonite case was full of toiletries, which made her think, "Oh my god, that's so sweet," before she opened it to find a much different item inside.
Dern admitted that just as her mom predicted, she developed feelings for her fellow teenage co-star.
Laughing it off decades later, Dern recalled the shock of opening the case to find the surprise product.
Dern added: "And I open it up and it's full of contraception. Like, rubbers, every rubber, every you know, anything you can imagine for protection. I was like, 'Mom, I'm not having s-- yet. Like, what are you talking about?'"
The Jurassic Park star said her mother told her: "Well, you never know. You gotta be protected. You must be protected."
The actress jokingly recalled her mom wanting her to be prepared.
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As it turns out, Ladd was onto something. Dern — who didn't divulge details about what movie she filming at the time or who the actor was — recalled calling her mother about halfway through filming to let her know the young stars had feelings for each other.
The Emmy winner said of the phone call with her mom: "And she goes, ‘You're not gonna do it.’ And I said, ‘Well, I'm not saying we've done anything yet. I'm just telling you I like him. But what are you talking about? You sent me with a suitcase full of birth control!’"
"She goes, ‘Exactly, but not so you would use it!’"
While chatting with Danson and Harrelson, Dern revealed she was later forced to drop out of school at UCLA to pursue her acting career.
Dern said she was "so excited" to start college but ended up only being on campus for "two days" before she was offered the role in David Lynch's Blue Velvet.
Despite begging her dean for a leave of absence so she could film, she was told "absolutely not."