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Ladd, who died on Monday, had several memorable screen roles alongside her daughter, Dern. Below are highlights.
Nov. 3, 2025, 8:35 p.m. ET
The three-time Oscar-nominated actress Diane Ladd, who died Monday at the age of 89, appeared in films as diverse as “Chinatown” (1974) and “National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation” (1989). But to many, she was known as the mother of Laura Dern, both on and off screen.
Their mother-daughter connection went far beyond the uncredited roles Dern took on in Ladd’s films as a child, like in the Burt Reynolds flick “White Lightning” (1973). Rather, the two had a remarkably fruitful creative partnership. Auteurs like David Lynch and Mike White also recognized the power of putting the two opposite one another.
Ladd initially didn’t want Dern to go into acting, but together they made some of the best work of their careers. Here’s where to stream some of their collaborations.
Ladd earned her first Oscar nomination for her role in Martin Scorsese’s drama, about a single mother (Ellen Burstyn), trying to care for her young son while pursuing her own dreams and navigating a new relationship. Ladd, hair piled high, plays Flo, Alice’s fellow diner waitress. Flo and Alice, both tough cookies, are first at odds, but become close confidants. Flo lets Alice in on the secrets of their gig and offers her a shoulder when she’s crying. Dern, who was just a child at the time, makes a brief appearance eating an ice cream cone. Later, Ladd won a Golden Globe for playing a totally different character on “Alice,” a sitcom based on the movie.
