Hollywood star Laura Dern tackles sub-prime crisis in new film

In this image released by Broad Green Pictures, Laura Dern portrays Lynn Nash in a scene from “99 Homes.” AP

LOS ANGELES, United States—The US sub-prime mortgage crisis that spelled ruin for thousands and left many homeless is not exactly a catchy subject for a Hollywood movie.

But in a new drama—”99 Homes”—Oscar-nominated actress Laura Dern tackles the financial meltdown that touched millions and sent ripples across the globe.

Dern, 48, whose film resume includes “Rambling Rose,” “Sailor and Lula” and “Blue Velvet,” sat down with AFP to discuss the movie—which has gotten rave reviews—and life in general.

The film

In “99 Homes,” she plays a woman whose family is forced out of home by an unscrupulous real estate broker after they are unable to make mortgage payments.

Dern said the movie aims to highlight “the level of rage in American families when they are now living in their car because they can no longer afford a motel.”

“We’re very busy as a culture, thinking about the Kardashians or whatever the new topic is,” she said.

“It takes us away from the BP oil spill still leaking, bank crisis and people still losing their homes.

“It is amazing to consider who we throw away, and often we throw away the people we’ve promised the most to.”

Social media

“I feel like I’m lucky because my focus isn’t that, because it’s not my language… it isn’t what defines me,” Dern said of social media.

“I’m not of a generation that thinks that if I haven’t a certain number of followers, I am or I am not liked or popular, because I didn’t grow up that way.

“So I’m basing my values… on the work or my family, my children, my loved ones, but certainly not on social media.”

On aging in Hollywood

“Love where you are as a woman at all times in your life. If you buy into the belief that things are gonna change based on age, it’s a tragedy,” Dern said.

“I hope I’m my sexiest at 60 and I will say I’m playing more interesting characters than I have in a long time.

“In 10 years, I hope to be braver, bolder, wilder, boundaryless, without any predisposition to what it’s supposed to look like,” she added.

“(I hope) to be complicated, sexy, kind, broken and all the things a woman should be in her 50s. I look forward to that.”

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