Laura Dern Wishes She Could Spill The Beans On Star Wars

When it was first announced that Laura Dern would be joining the cast of Star Wars: the Last Jedi, fans went into a frenzy over who she'd play and what she'd be doing. Unfortunately, the release of her name was the last piece of info anyone got about Dern's role, or the film itself (minus that whole Jedi-is-plural discovery); since that mid-February day, it's been pretty much radio silence when it comes to anything related to The Last Jedi. And if you think it's frustrating for Star Wars fans, imagine what it's like for Dern herself.

"When you can’t even tell your own children who you play in a movie, it’s not the easiest," Dern says with a laugh, sitting across from me at New York's Whitby Hotel recently during the press day for her new film Wilson. "I’ll be happy when the word is out."

And she's not just talking about The Last Jedi; Dern's role in the highly-anticipated — and top-secret — continuation of the cult TV show Twin Peaks is also under wraps, as is the ending of her current murder mystery HBO series, Big Little Lies. Basically, when it comes to her career, Dern isn't allowed to talk about, well, anything, these days.

"I feel like I’m just silenced," she says, laughing. "And even Big Little Lies right now, everyone’s like, 'Who dies?! What happens! Who does it?' [You've] just got to wait for everyone to see it all."

That day can't come soon enough. Despite the frustration of not being able to open up about her work, Dern is clearly thrilled to be involved in so many major projects. "You’re more excited about the opportunity" than nervous about accidentally spilling the beans, she explains, adding that when it comes to being part of a film like The Last Jedi, "You're like, oh my god. I’m gonna pinch myself. Am I nine years old in my room at play, or is this real?"

Thankfully for Dern and fans alike, it is real — and knowing she's involved in so many must-see projects couldn't be more exciting.