Column: Laura Dern has always been worthy of celebrating. Hollywood is just catching up

Laura Dern is everywhere these days, and that alone is proof that no matter what hill you occupy in the current culture wars, all is not lost. Emmys, Golden Globes, Oscars — for the last few years, virtually every project she touches turns to gold — “Twin Peaks,” “Big Little Lies” Seasons 1 and 2, “The Tale,” and this year, “Little Women” and “Marriage Story,” both of which are best picture nominees, with Dern nominated as supporting actress in “Marriage Story.” She was even part of Ellen DeGeneres’ receipt of the Carol Burnett Award at this year’s Golden Globes; Dern played the woman to whom DeGeneres’ character Ellen came out during the famous boundary-breaking “Puppy” episode. For reasons still baffling and regrettable, HBO killed “Enlightened” after its second season, but Dern got an Emmy nomination all the same and, more important, everyone suddenly remembered how good an actress the star of pre-“Ellen” films including “Rambling Rose,” “Blue Velvet,” “Wild at Heart” and “Smooth Talk” really was. × A Netflix featurette on Laura Dern as a very good divorce lawyer in “Marriage Story.” It’s tough to think of another performer who fits so easily in, and is willing to do such a varied palette of projects. In 2017, she had roles in “Star Wars: Episode VIII: The Last Jedi” and “The Last Man on Earth” on Fox, Alexander Payne’s “Downsizing,” Showtime’s “Twin Peaks” and “The Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt” on Netflix.