Six Degrees of Separation: Laura Dern to Laura Dern

I don't think I need to tell you that it is extremely Laura Dern's moment. The actress's performance as scene-stealing Renata Klein on Big Little Lies has earned her consistent meme status, but the thing is, Dern's ascent isn't new; it arguably began in 1993, when she starred as Dr. Ellie Satler in Jurassic Park. How to get from her dinosaur days to her wine-soaked Monterey nights, though? Don't worry, we've connecteed the dots for you.

Laura Dern in Jurassic Park.

Laura Dern as Dr. Ellie Sattler in a scene from the film 'Jurassic Park', 1993. (Photo by Murray Close/Getty Images)

Dern portrayed paleobotanist Ellie Satler in Steven Spielberg's 1993 film Jurassic Park.

Tyrannosaurus rex.

The T-rex is one of the dinosaurs featured in Jurassic Park, and is one of the best-known theropods in history. (

David Schwimmer.

David Schwimmer poses in the Press Room at the Virgin TV BAFTA Television Award at The Royal Festival Hall on May 12, 2019 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

The actor got his big break on Friends playing Dr. Ross Geller, a paleontologist who—you guessed it—studied dinosaurs, even pushing a stuffed T-rex doll on his baby daughter.

Sir Ian McKellen.

ir Ian McKellen during the filming for the Graham Norton Show at BBC Studioworks 6 Television Centre, Wood Lane, London, to be aired on BBC One on Friday evening. (Photo by Isabel Infantes/PA Images via Getty Images)

In 1979, the young Schwimmer attended a Shakespeare workshop given by English actor Ian McKellen in Los Angeles and was "absolutely riveted."

Iain Armitage.

Photo via IMDb.

The ten-year-old actor, who stars as Ziggy Chapman on the HBO series Big Little Lies, was named for Sir Ian McKellen.

Laura Dern in Big Little Lies.

Photo via Wiki.

Dern stars as Big Little Lies' Renata Klein, owner of the best house—and best one-liners—in all of Monterey.