Laura Dern's Sister Died in a Tragedy at Just 18 Months Old

Ever since Jurassic Park first enchanted audiences in the early 1990s, Laura Dern has been one of Hollywood's biggest stars. And her career hasn't slowed since, putting her at the forefront of dozens of major hits and cementing her as one of the acting world's darlings.

But she doesn't exactly come from nothing; her parents are none other than Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern, both acting legends in their own right.

But did you know that Laura had a sister? Laura's sister isn't as famous as she is, and there's a very sad reason for that. Here's what we know about Laura's sister.

As she was being raised in the arms of Hollywood, Laura experienced life as an only child. Her sister, born in 1960, should have been 7 years old when Laura was born in 1967. Unfortunately, tragedy struck.

According to People, a thrilled Diane and Bruce welcomed Laura's older sister, Diane Elizabeth, in 1960. But just 18 months later, she died in a tragic accident.

We don't know much about how little Diane Elizabeth died, but we know that the cause of death was reported to be drowning.

Bruce and Diane stayed together until Laura was 2 years old, but the loss of their first child reportedly took a toll on their marriage, the outlet notes.

Add the baggage of grief to the fact that both of their careers were headed in very different directions, and Diane and Bruce divorced in 1969.

Diane was a beloved actor in her own right. Starring in roles like Alice Doesn’t Live Here Anymore and Wild at Heart, Diane was a three-time Oscar nominee who held her place in the hearts of Hollywood fans for decades.

She died in November 2025.

In a statement shared with ABC News, Laura reminisced on her mother's life even as she confirmed her passing; "My amazing hero and my profound gift of a mother, Diane Ladd, passed with me beside her this morning, at her home in Ojai, Ca. She was the greatest daughter, mother, grandmother, actress, artist and empathetic spirit that only dreams could have seemingly created."

She added, "We were blessed to have her. She is flying with her angels now."

Laura's career intersected with her mother's at times. She co-starred in both Wild at Heart and Rambling Rose alongside Diane. Laura was Oscar-nominated for the latter, which earned Diane and Laura the honor of being one of only two parent-child duos nominated for Academy Awards for the same film.

Bruce had nothing but kind words for his ex-wife after her passing, calling her a "hidden treasure."

He added, "She lived a good life. She 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."