WILD @ heart
Fairlady|May 2020
She was born into the industry, but Laura Dern’s route to the top had much more to do with her passionate love of her craft and her indie spirit than her famous parents. Whether she’s outrunning a raptor, taking a baseball bat to her husband’s toy collection (you go, Renata!) or exploring the nuances of a quiet conversation, this Oscar winner has us mesmerised.
SAMEENA AMIEN
WILD @ heart

The divorce lawyer turns on the recorder and stalks quietly into the space where her client sits, apprehensive and tense. Her tone is by turns empathetic and no-nonsense as she coaxes the tearful woman to tell her side of the story. But underneath her gentle, supportive veneer, the steely, manipulative undercurrent hums.

This scene, from Marriage Story, is Laura Dern at her best, delivering a layered performance worthy of the Supporting Actress Oscar (and the Golden Globe, the SAG, the BAFTA) she walked home with on 10 February this year – her 54th birthday.

Laura is currently riding the wave of what the media has dubbed ‘the Dernaissance’ with two major movies released in the past year: Greta Gerwig’s re-imagining of Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women also received a handful of Oscar nods. Says Gerwig: ‘I knew that she would be loving, and she would be warm, and that she would be the mother we wish we had, and that she also would be able to be the person who says: “I’m angry almost every single day of my life” and we’d know that that was true.’

It’s the same skill that allows her to portray both the duality of the brittle, bullish, Renata Klein in Big Little Lies and the silkily manipulative Nora Fanshaw in Marriage Story.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.

MORE STORIES FROM FAIRLADYView all
'DESIRE IS NOT WHAT MATTERS'
Fairlady

'DESIRE IS NOT WHAT MATTERS'

Emily Nagoski wrote the book on women and desire - literally. And then her own sex life dried up. Here's what a prolonged sex drought (and a load of research) taught her about maintaining intimacy in a long-term relationship.

time-read
9 mins  |
July/August 2024
'We have to tell HARD STORIES'
Fairlady

'We have to tell HARD STORIES'

Theatre director and playwright Yaël Farber is spending time in South Africa after her critically acclaimed run of King Lear at the Almeida Theatre in London. We chatted to her about the importance of the pursuit of truth.

time-read
6 mins  |
July/August 2024
THE WHY, THE WHICH & the wardrobe
Fairlady

THE WHY, THE WHICH & the wardrobe

We really got into it this month! Read on for more on the allure of a loosey-goosey jumpsuit, vintage-hunting and jingle-jangling jewellery, the best places to find quality African design and short-girl styling tips.

time-read
10+ mins  |
July/August 2024
LIFT your GAME
Fairlady

LIFT your GAME

Thought weightlifting was just for bodybuilders and powerlifters? Not so. In fact, 'lifting heavy shit' may be the secret to longevity, hormone regulation and mood for women through perimenopause and beyond.

time-read
8 mins  |
July/August 2024
TREATMENT PLAN ON YOUR MARKS
Fairlady

TREATMENT PLAN ON YOUR MARKS

Armed with a six-month programme from Dr Nerina Wilkinson + Associates, Jennifer Morin set about tackling her sun damage and melasma.

time-read
8 mins  |
July/August 2024
PLAYING YOUR CARDS RIGHT
Fairlady

PLAYING YOUR CARDS RIGHT

Here's how to get the most out of loyalty cards.

time-read
5 mins  |
July/August 2024
BIG SKY Country
Fairlady

BIG SKY Country

Namibia. Twelve friends, five vehicles, 4000 km, thirteen days. Eight punctures, one angle grinder. One martial eagle, one full moon, one ghost town. Plenty of top-quality braais, maybe not quite enough oysters... and the best time ever.

time-read
9 mins  |
July/August 2024
IS YOUR HOME MAKING YOU SICK?
Fairlady

IS YOUR HOME MAKING YOU SICK?

Leaks, damp and poor ventilation in old or poorly built new homes are being fingered for a growing health concern: mould.

time-read
7 mins  |
July/August 2024
HOW TO REALLY GET TO KNOW SOMEONE
Fairlady

HOW TO REALLY GET TO KNOW SOMEONE

The Korean word 'nunchi' describes 'the ability to be sensitive to other people's moods and thoughts'. It's an underrated skill that we seem to have lost.

time-read
9 mins  |
July/August 2024
How to write a memoir
Fairlady

How to write a memoir

Whether you want to share your experiences and insights with the world, leave a legacy or track pivotal experiences for yourself, writing your memoir can be a grand and worthwhile adventure. Here's some advice on how and where to begin.

time-read
7 mins  |
July/August 2024