Laura Dern helped Steven Spielberg get David Lynch in The Fabelmans
Laura Dern calls David Lynch's part as director John Ford in Spielberg's autobiographical drama "the greatest thing that ever happened."
What does it take to bring two unique yet similarly revered titans of filmmaking together? Sometimes, just a little bit of Laura Dern. David Lynch’s recent cameo in Steven Spielberg’s autobiographical drama The Fablemans delighted audiences in theaters, on Twitter, and beyond. As it turns out, Dern was behind the legendary link-up, which she discussed during a sitdown with Michelle Williams as part of Variety’s Actors on Actors series.
Speaking to Williams, who plays Spielberg’s mother Mitzi in The Fablemans, Dern reveals that she had a hand in convincing Lynch to take on the role of director John Ford. Dern says that Spielberg sharing his desire to cast Lynch with her made her feel as if she had been invited into a “sacred space”— still, she wasn’t so sure Hollywood’s favorite weatherman would want to go on camera.
“I was like, ‘Oh, he’s not going to want to be in a movie, I don’t think,’” Dern recalls. “But Steven was so determined and asked if I would help with an invitation. And they spoke, and then I luckily became a bit of a mediator of promising David he could do it. And I even got to read the scenes with him and talk about his wardrobe and just listen to the process once he agreed to do it. David worships John Ford like Steven does.”
As it happens, Speilberg’s adoration for Lynch work was mutual, and Dern shares that Lynch himself illuminated some of his connection with Spielberg in a conversation that made her “laugh so hard.” By Dern’s own admission, it’s a story she hasn’t even told Spielberg yet.
“I said [to Lynch], ‘I’ve always wanted you [and Spielberg] to be friends. You remind me of each other in such completely different ways,’” Dern says. “And David said, ‘It’s true. We have this thing in common. We have a vision and we have to make our vision. Steven goes out there and he has an idea, and a million people have that same love of that vision.’ And he goes, ‘It’s the same with me. I have a vision and I make it—and hundreds of people have that.’”