Did you know Laura Dern faced a choice between UCLA and ‘Blue Velvet‘? Yes, you heard that right. Laura Dern still remembers the moment UCLA made her choose between college and acting.
When she landed a role in ‘Blue Velvet‘, the university told her she could either stay in school or leave and never come back. Years later, she says that ultimatum still frustrates her.
UCLA Would Not Let Laura Dern Leave Even For ‘Blue Velvet’ Role
Dern shared the story on Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson’s podcast ‘Where Everybody Knows Your Name‘. She said she was just 17 and thrilled to start college at UCLA. But only two days after arriving on campus, everything changed. She auditioned for David Lynch’s ‘Blue Velvet‘ and got the role.
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She recalled, “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.” Naturally, she felt ecstatic, especially because she admired Lynch and wanted to work with him. But instead of support, she faced resistance.
The university refused to grant her a leave of absence under any circumstances. Still, she didn’t give up right away. She offered practical solutions: mailing assignments, writing papers remotely, hiring a tutor, and even taking on more classes later. Since online learning didn’t exist back then, she promised to do everything possible to keep up academically. Even so, the answer remained no.
At that point, she was planning to study psychology and journalism. Hoping for understanding, she approached the film department. Yet she got the same response: because it wasn’t a medical emergency, the school wouldn’t approve her request.
The Ultimatum That Ended Dern’s College Life
Soon after, the situation became even more serious. A professor read the script and gave her a direct warning. If she chose the movie, she would no longer be welcome at UCLA. He also told her that giving up college for the film was “insane.”
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Despite the criticism, Dern trusted her instincts. Although she admitted the script was shocking, she accepted the role anyway, which meant leaving campus after only two days and never returning.
Years later, film students now study Blue Velvet, the same movie she left college to make. Talking about it, she admitted it still “pisses me off.” After her comments circulated, UCLA released a statement. Department chair Amy Villarejo clarified that no current courses require Blue Velvet, though instructors may have used it over the decades without knowing Dern’s experience.
She also praised Dern’s decision, saying the industry benefited from her following her instincts. Furthermore, Villarejo said the university would happily welcome Dern back and would love for her to speak to students. She even mentioned she would center a class discussion around ‘Smooth Talk‘, Dern’s first feature film, and honor director Joyce Chopra if Dern visited.
Meanwhile, ‘Blue Velvet‘, starring Kyle MacLachlan, Isabella Rossellini, and Dern, went on to become a celebrated murder-mystery thriller.
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