Laura Dern is only two awards away from an EGOT.
Not bad for the Emmy and Oscar-winning actress who first explored working in television in the late ‘90s, with a memorable stint on ABC's The Ellen DeGeneres Show. That role paved the way for other noteworthy performances (in between working on feature films), such as HBO’s Recount, Enlightened, Big Little Lies and now Apple TV’s Palm Royale.
Palm Royale — a 1960s-set farcical look at Palm Beach society, based on the book Mr. & Mrs. American Pie by Juliet McDaniel — returned November 12 for its second season. Dern, who is also an executive producer on the show, reprises her role of latent feminist Linda Shaw — aka the hapless Palm Beach heiress Penelope Collins. She runs a women’s clinic in the less-ritzy part of West Palm, but it’s a responsibility that ropes Linda/Penelope into some hijinks that neither her upbringing nor her career choice have prepped her for.
Dern, the daughter of Hollywood acting legends Bruce Dern and the late Diane Ladd, recently spoke with the Television Academy to unpack both her return to Palm Royale and some of her unforgettable TV appearances.
[Editor's note: This interview was conducted before the Nov. 3, 2025, passing of Laura Dern's mother, Diane Ladd.]
Television Academy: Your character is featured prominently in the first two episodes of the second season. How satisfying is it for you to explore her storyline as both actor and producer?
Laura Dern: The reminder that Linda is kind of the Greek chorus to this show — [to] this bubble, this world that has so much value placed on it. So much equity has been given to it by these characters, and she's chosen to leave it to be part of the revolution, to recognize what's happening on the outside.
And, of course, that would be the person who lands right where she does at the beginning of this season. To be shut down and controlled. How’s she gonna find her way out to an arc that has a very beautiful journey? While she's exploring revolution, she's also looking for love — and she ultimately might find true love in very surprising places. That's so much fun [to explore] as a producer, along with my producing partner, Jamie. When we first found the book, we loved how incredible and delicious these characters were. Then, as the actor, to come in and look at it from the outside — to consider a woman's place in society, and how it has or has not changed at all since 1969 — is very interesting.
The cast of Palm Royale / Apple TV
You share producing credit with others, but from what I understand, you were the person who found the book and put it forward for development.
Both Jamie and I were deeply involved in the development process. We worked with [executive producers] Tate Taylor and John Norris in finding a partnership with [series creator] Abe Sylvia and then developing it [into a series]. [Then] we really worked as a team to find the right cast. The cast that could have an alchemy that played off of each other in beautiful ways.
Also, just as a producer, you hope your dreams come true and you get to hang out with — let alone ask — Carol Burnett to be part of this world. It was a deep highlight. Also, just asking actors that I love if they want to come be at play. So, I was involved in the development of [the first two seasons]. [I was] very involved in prep, involved as much as I could be in production, in my storyline. I was there when I could be there in support of the cast and crew, while also making a film in the latter half of the season. And all of us were very involved in post-production.
We actually shot the majority of it in Los Angeles. What was beautiful was that we had a couple of actors — one on tour, one on another show and me making a film. So, navigating all the different [scheduling] commitments of this very large cast — it was its own navigation and credit to the superpower work of our crew. Until almost the end of the season, I got to be there on set as an actor and to support as a producer.
You're also in Big Little Lies, and the show is reportedly coming back. Do you know when?
I don't. I just know that a group of friends are very excited at the prospect of getting together, because we love each other so much and we love our characters.
Do you have any favorite episodes or moments from portraying Renata on Big Little Lies?
Working with Meryl Streep, which I had the privilege of doing on the [2019] film Little Women before we did Big Little Lies together. To be with Meryl, where I got to experience her as Renata, was amazing! It was one of the great memories of my life. And Reese [Witherspoon], Nicole [Kidman], Shay [Shailene Woodley] and Zoë [Kravitz] — they are all family to me. All of us getting to work together is just pure bliss. I can't even identify one scene [that stood out] more than the next, but there were a few favorite lines that I was very privileged to say and that's always a great memory.
The cast of Big Little Lies / Apple TV
Enlightened was also a significant moment in your TV career. How did that project come about for you?
[I was working] on the HBO film Recount, and I was very struck about that time in American history — where it felt like there was a cultural apathy around our vote and voter's rights. And I remember saying, "I wonder what it would take for people to get in the streets again in this country." And then I thought, "Maybe it needs to take. It needs to be a really broken 'rager' who would be willing to risk it all because they care so deeply."
So I had talked to the head of HBO at the time, Richard Plepler, and I said, "Hey, I feel this character, and I just am curious — what if Lucille Ball became Norma Rae? I want to do that show." And that began our journey.
Then I asked [writer, cocreator and showrunner] Mike [White] if he would join the party; write it, crack [the story] and find the world. And it became more than I could have ever dreamt of. So, yeah, it's a great love of mine to have been part of building [that story] and fall so in love with that character.
Did that good energy that you were trying to showcase to people through your character, Amy Jellicoe, have any impact on your acting process going forward?
Wow. Well, what did impact me — as a person and with my acting process — was that it was the first time I wasn't just an executive producer, but I was a cocreator along with the genius that is Mike White. That show was so our baby. Amy Jellicoe is my heart and soul. I love that character so much. Mike's writing was perfect from beginning to end. Our directors were so incredible, but [the show] really taught me about "voice" as a producer. Even in the decade since doing [Enlightened], to being a producer [on Palm Royale] and watching other female producers — who also happen to be actors — is a very different [time].
But that experience was an amazing education.
Bruce Dern and his daughter worked for the first time ever on Palm Royale / Apple TV
Your mother played your fictional mom in Enlightened, and your dad plays your father on Palm Royale. How was that experience?
It's the great gift of a lifetime to be raised by craftspeople who love their work. Who are in it to grow, and be a mirror for what it is to be human — with all its flaws — and also be so deeply fearless. They raised me [on] the films of the '70s. Watching their work, they're two of the most boundary-less actors that I've ever witnessed.
I have [worked with] my mom since I was 21, on David Lynch's Wild at Heart. We've had many experiences as creative partners, but I had never worked with my father before. Our producers and our showrunner knew that, and they really wanted to find that opportunity for us — which was so beautiful. I have to thank Abe Sylvia and Tate Taylor for that. That really meant the world to me.
Abe crafted such a beautiful journey for us to explore together, even with its irreverence and fun. I'll never forget the joy of Ricky Martin joining us in scenes, and just the storytelling on set. I love my parents a lot, so I'm very blessed.
This article was edited for length and clarity.
Palm Royale is now streaming on Apple TV.
