Does Laura Dern Have Any Children? Inside the Family Life of the Emmy-Winning Actor

As a member of Hollywood royalty, Laura Dern has been around the glitz and glam all of her life, but she has also successfully established her own career that has resulted in classic television and films, and multiple awards. However, her personal life is decidedly more private.

While some of her relationships have made headlines in the past, family dynamics such as children are a bit more sacred. So, let’s find out the Emmy and Golden Globe winner's family life.

In short, yes, Laura Dern is a mother of two. In 2001, Laura welcomed her first child with ex-husband Ben Harper, son Ellery. Three years later, in 2004, the former couple welcomed their daughter Jaya.

In 2018, Ellery entered the fashion world as a model, making his runway debut at that year’s Raf Simons’s Calvin Klein show, per People. After dabbling briefly in modeling, Ellery is currently exploring music.

As for Jaya, she is following in her family legacy of acting. However, Laura was firm in making her daughter wait to break into the industry until after she finished school.

“On good days, I am kind enough to remember that there are growing pains, and it is all overwhelming and not easy or always fun,” Laura said in a 2019 interview with Modern Luxury. “On the hard days, it’s stressful and there is too much going on as a single parent — and it can be hard to carve out a minute for yourself.”

“I have never had anybody else bully me in my single parenting life,” she added. “I am lucky to have champions around me, but I can definitely do it to myself.”

Laura also acknowledged that she is not perfect and makes mistakes as a mom, but it inspires her to keep going.

“The more I learn about my mistakes as a mother, the deeper I enjoy how fully I love my children,” she said, per Parade. “Because I can let them know I really screw up sometimes. I hide from blame in a lot of areas in my life, but I’m trying not to do that as a mom.”

In case you didn’t know, Laura is the daughter of legendary actress Diane Ladd and legendary actor Bruce Dern.

On Monday, Nov. 3, Diane passed away at age 89, and Laura released a moving statement about her mother following her death.

"My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Calif.," she said in a statement, per People.

"She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created," Laura continued. "We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now."

Mother and daughter starred together in multiple projects, including Wild at Heart, Rambling Rose, Citizen Ruth, Inland Empire, and Enlightened.