Laura Dern’s Hollywood Family and Life in the Spotlight

As she enters her teenage years, her interest in acting becomes more deliberate. Rather than relying only on family exposure, she begins formal training, including studying at the Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute in Los Angeles.

This period marks a shift from passive observation to active pursuit. She later reflects that she wanted to take the craft seriously on her own terms, not just inherit it. Training in method acting gives her discipline and technique, helping her separate her identity from her parents while still building on the foundation they provided.