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. 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.
