Ladd and the elder Dern were married for 10 years in the 1960s, but remained close co-parents of their Oscar-winning daughter in the years that followed.

Laura Dern and father Bruce Dern make first red carpet appearance together since her mother Diane Ladd’s death

Ladd and the elder Dern were married for 10 years in the 1960s, but remained close co-parents of their Oscar-winning daughter in the years that followed.

By Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman

Ryan Coleman is a news writer for with previous work in MUBI Notebook, Slant, and the LA Review of Books.

EW's editorial guidelines

May 20, 2026 4:55 p.m. ET

Leave a Comment

Laura Dern and Bruce Dern at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival. Credit:

Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty

- Laura Dern and Bruce Dern made their first red carpet appearance together since the death of Diane Ladd.

- Father and daughter stepped out at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday to attend the premiere of *Dernsie*, a documentary chronicling Bruce's life.

- Ladd, Bruce's ex and Laura's mother, died on Nov. 3, 2025, after a battle with interstitial lung disease.

The Derns are stronger together.

Laura Dern and her famous father, Bruce Dern, made their first joint red carpet appearance since the death of Dern's mother, Diane Ladd. Father and daughter stepped out at the Cannes Film Festival on Wednesday alongside Laura's own children, Ellery and Jaya Harper.

One of Hollywood's most decorated acting dynasties showed up to support Bruce at the premiere of *Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern*, Mike Mendez’s new documentary chronicling the Oscar nominee's storied career. The launch of the celebratory doc represents a much-needed bright spot in a year that has been clouded by death for the Derns, not least of which being Ladd's death at age 89 after a battle with interstitial lung disease in November.

Diane Ladd and Laura Dern in New York City in 2023.

Slaven Vlasic/Getty

Laura and Bruce both appear in the documentary, which marks both the first non-fiction feature and first non-genre film directed by the prolific Mendez. Two of Bruce's close collaborators, Quentin Tarantino and Alexander Payne, also appear in the film, which walks viewers from his upbringing in Chicago, through his New Hollywood breakthrough and marriage to Ladd, to his later career resurgences and relationship to Laura.

It's because of Payne that Bruce has meaningful history with the little French film festival by the sea. The *Election *helmer directed Bruce in the film *Nebraska*, which premiered in Competition at Cannes in 2013, winning him the festival's coveted Best Actor Award.

There's also more to Laura's visit to the 2026 edition of Cannes than supporting her father. The *Big Little Lies *star recently replaced Helena Bonham Carter in a critical role in the upcoming fourth season of *The White Lotus*, which is set during an edition of Cannes. The production has already been spotted shooting around town since the 79th edition kicked off.

Diane Ladd wanted Laura Dern to quit acting to become a lawyer

John Travolta addresses viral new look debuted at Cannes: 'I'm going to play the part'

***Get your daily dose of entertainment news, celebrity updates, and what to watch with our EW Dispatch newsletter.***

Ladd's ex-husband and daughter have been effusive in their tributes to the three-time Oscar nominee since her death in November.

On the day of her death, Bruce referred to Ladd in a statement as a "tremendous actress" who "saw everything the way it was. She was a great teammate to her fellow actors. She was funny, clever, gracious... But most importantly to me, she was a wonderful mother to our incredible wunderkind daughter. And for that I will be forever grateful to her."

Laura, meanwhile, has paid repeated tribute to her mom, calling her on the day of her death "my amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother." Laura continued, "She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created. We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now."

- Celebrities & Creators

- Celebrity Friends and Family

Original Article on Source

Source: “EW Celebrity”