Laura Dern Does Her Civic Duty in Recount
Laura Dern, Recount
She helped Ellen's alter ego come out on TV, inspired David Lynch and earned an Oscar nod for
Rambling Rose. Tonight in
Recount (9 pm/ET, HBO),
Laura Dern does her civic duty playing Katherine Harris, the former Secretary of State of Florida who many feel helped turn 2000's Gore-vs.-Bush election into a debacle of questionable ethics, butterfly ballots and hanging chads.
TV Guide: So Katherine Harris was sort of a mess, huh?
Laura Dern: Oh, she's a mess. When we heard that the woman making the [recount decisions] was — by the way — cochair of the Bush for President campaign, it's amazing America didn't go "Wait a minute!" [Laughs]
TV Guide: How is it playing someone who was known as "the Body"?
Dern: [Laughs] It's always interesting playing somebody who can become the comic relief or the bad guy. But nothing had prepared her to be the spokesperson for the 2000 election. There was a mix of ego and unbelievable terror…and that is a bad combo.
TV Guide: Are the Jurassic Park IV rumors true?
Dern: It isn't just speculation. It's a while away, but my understanding is it's happening and my character is very involved. I know Steven Spielberg is looking forward to [getting it together] over the next year.
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