Laura Dern was once called “crazy” for dropping out of college to pursue acting. Now, UCLA's film school is showing her the movie that made her famous.
Dern was a guest on Ted Danson and Woody Harrelson's podcast, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name,” on July 23 and recalled being “forced” to drop out of UCLA film school after being cast as Sandy Williams in “Blue Velvet.”
Although Dern already had the film “The Mask” under her belt, “Blue Velvet” in 1986 was the film that catapulted her to fame.
Laura Dern was expelled from UCLA film school because she wanted to pursue acting. (Fake Images)
“I was 17 and very excited to get into UCLA,” Dern told Danson and Harrelson. “I was there for two days, auditioned and got offered the role in 'Blue Velvet.'”
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Once she was cast in the role, Dern asked her college department chair for a leave of absence while she filmed the movie. The actress recalls being told, “No way.”
“I said, 'I have this opportunity,' and he said, 'Well, I'll look at the script if you want to give it to me, but, you know, you're not going to get a license. It's not going to happen. It's not a medical emergency,'” Dern said.
After the director of the UCLA film school read the script for “Blue Velvet,” Dern was called back into his office.
“First of all, if you make this decision, you will no longer be welcome at UCLA,” Dern recalls being told. “You'll be out. But second of all, after reading this script, that you would give up your college education for this is insane.”
Laura Dern is an Oscar winner. (Rachel Luna/Getty Images)
Dern admitted: “Obviously, it was an incredibly powerful script.”
The “Big Little Lies” actress shared with the podcast hosts that UCLA's film school now has new criteria for graduates.
“I'll end by saying that after the two days I spent here today, if you want to do a master's degree in film at that school, when you write your thesis, there are three films you must study. And do you know which one of them is?”
“I was there for two days, auditioned and was offered the role in 'Blue Velvet.'”
“It bothers me,” Dern added.
Dern isn't the only star who found success after deciding to drop out of college.
Jake Gyllenhaal – Colombia
Jake Gyllenhaal was enrolled at Columbia University for two years before deciding to drop out and focus on his steady rise to fame in Hollywood.
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In 2002, Gyllenhaal was a guest on the “Late Show” with David Letterman when he explained why he decided to leave Columbia, even though his older sister, Maggie, was still enrolled and on track to graduate.
Jake Gyllenhaal was enrolled at Columbia University. (Gareth Cattermole/Getty Images for Disney)
At that point, Letterman asked Gyllenhaal if he had plans to attend school.
“I'm a college dropout,” he said. “I went to Columbia University for two years,” Gyllenhaal said. “I decided to major in something and I had the opportunity to major in acting. So I decided to pursue that, making movies.”
Jake Gyllenhaal is now an Oscar-nominated actor. (Dominik Bindl/Getty Images)
Letterman asked the star if he planned to go back to school and finish his degree. Gyllenhaal simply replied: “No.”
Gyllenhaal has had many successful films throughout his career, including his Oscar-nominated performance in “Brokeback Mountain” and playing the villain in “Spider-Man: Far From Home.”
Matt Damon – Harvard
Matt Damon enrolled at Harvard University in 1992, before dropping out to focus on his acting career.
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In 2017, Damon's former freshman roommate Jason Furman spoke to the Harvard Crimson newspaper about what it was like living with the star.
Matt Damon attended Harvard for one year. (Samir Hussein/WireImage)
“The first thing he told me was that I was very lucky to share a room with him. [him]”Furman told the university's publication. She explained that Damon meant he wouldn't be staying in the couple's dorm room for long as he planned to leave campus to film a movie.
Furman also shared that Damon's old friend Ben Affleck would visit him on campus and the trio would do things they “couldn't do until… [they] “They were 21 years old.”
Matt Damon's longtime friend Ben Affleck reportedly visited him at Harvard. (Ron Galella, Ltd./Ron Galella Collection via Getty Images)
In 1997, Damon spoke to the Crimson about his time at Harvard.
“Let me tell you, I loved Harvard,” Damon said at the time. “It was a very, very important part of my life. I still have time left and I want to go back when I get the chance.”
Tom Hanks – California State University, Sacramento
Tom Hanks detailed his college experience in a 2015 op-ed for The New York Times.
Tom Hanks attended a community college in Northern California before transferring to California State University, Sacramento. (Taylor Hill/FilmMagic/Getty Images)
At the time, the actor wrote: “In 1974, I graduated from Skyline High School in Oakland, California, as an underachiever with lousy SAT scores. I was allowed to send my scores to three colleges, choosing MIT and Villanova, knowing that such good schools would never accept a student like me, but hoping they would throw me some bumper stickers for trying. I couldn't afford college tuition anyway.”
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Hanks ended up attending a community college, Chabot College, in Hayward, California, before transferring to California State University, Sacramento. He was enrolled in the school for a year before deciding to pursue a different path.
Tom Hanks has finally dropped out of California State University, Sacramento. (AP Photo/Steven Senne)
In 1976, Hanks studied drama at Cal State Sacramento for a year before dropping out and interning at the Great Lakes Theatre Festival in Cleveland.
According to Hank's op-ed, the 2011 film “Larry Crowne” is based on his college experience.
Kelsey Grammer – Juilliard
Kelsey Grammer attended the Juilliard School for two years before he was expelled for poor attendance, according to The Wall Street Journal.
Kelsey Grammer attended the Juilliard School for two years. (Rich Polk/Getty Images for IMDb)
According to the outlet, Grammer's sister Karen was murdered when he was 18, causing him to not attend the prestigious music school. Grammer was asked to leave after his sophomore year.
The five-time Emmy Award winner found success in Hollywood. He is best known for his role as Frasier Crane on the hit sitcoms “Cheers” and “Frasier.”
Clint Eastwood – City College of Los Angeles
Clint Eastwood attended Los Angeles City College, but did not graduate.
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Clint Eastwood attended Los Angeles City College, but did not graduate. (Michael Kovac/Getty Images for AFI)
According to Backstage, Eastwood worked various jobs to survive before rising to fame for his role on the television show “Rawhide.”
Since then, Eastwood has won four Academy Awards, four Golden Globe Awards and an AFI Lifetime Achievement Award.
Halle Berry – Cuyahoga Community College
Halle Berry enrolled at Cleveland's Cuyahoga Community College after high school, but did not complete her time there.
In 2002, Halle Berry became the first black woman to win an Oscar for a leading role. She won the award for her work in the film “Monster's Ball.” (SGranitz/Wire Image)
According to Backstage, Berry dropped out of Cleveland Community College to pursue a modeling career in Chicago. Berry rose to fame in Hollywood, becoming a film actress and model.
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She made history as the first black woman to win an Oscar for her role in the 2001 film “Monster's Ball.”
