Shailene Woodley credits Laura Dern for having "forever changed [her] life"
The 32-year-old actress told how she was "exhausted" by Hollywood when she received a call offering her a role in 'Big Little Lies' but she initially turned it down because she was "really dead-set on 'finding [herself]' until her future co-star got in touch to urge her to think again
5 November 2024
Shailene told Vanity Fair in a video interview: "I got a call, I'll never forget it. It was November or October of 2015. I was really sick at the time and I was not at all exhausted by acting or the artistry and the craft of storytelling, but I was really exhausted by the act of Hollywood.
"And I got a call about 'Big Little Lies' because Jean-Marc Vallée - our beautiful creator, director, who has since passed - had wanted me to play Jane. And I was desperate to work with him, I thought he was such an incredible artist and filmmaker."
After turning down the role, Shailene then received a call from Laura who told her she'd be making a "massive mistake" if she didn't accept the part.
She continued: "I got a call from Laura the day before I left for India - or maybe I was actually already in India and I hadn't turned my phone off yet. And she just said, 'Listen, I know where you're at in your life. I've been there before too. It's a lot. This world is an illusion, but what isn't an illusion is what you love to do. 'And what I see in you, Shai, is your purpose - at least in this moment in your life - is to be a storyteller. And I think it's a massive mistake for you to walk away from this opportunity that you really should lean into.' "
The conversation made the 'Divergent' star "leave India and come back to the United States" to do the show and she doesn't regret it.
She added: "It forever changed my life.
"And so, in so many ways, I'm grateful for Laura, but that was a massive moment of courageous friendship to say, 'I think that you're making a mistake and I'm gonna be brave enough to tell you why, cause I really see you and I see something you can't see in your own life right now.' "
Shailene and her co-stars - which also include Nicole Kidman, Zoe Kravitz and Reese Witherspoon - are still hopeful there will be a third season of the drama.
She said: "We have a text chain going and it's constantly a check-in, every few weeks, 'Hey, what's the update?' 'It's still happening.'
"I keep being told that there's going to be a season three, but I haven't read anything yet."
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