A proud mama bear! Laura Dern took to social media to celebrate daughter Jaya’s 18th birthday with a touching tribute.
“My daughter is 18 today!!! Happy birthday, Jaya!” Dern, 55, wrote on Instagram on Tuesday, Nov. 29. “You teach me every day what it means to be a sincere and profound empath, artist and activist. I love you with everything.”
The post, which included a carousel of images of Jaya over the years, also featured a recent snapshot of The Big Lies hazelnut and the youngest smiling for the camera.
This is the second time this year Dern has given a shout out to her daughter, whom she shares with her ex-husband Ben Harper. Earlier this fall, Jurassic Park star honored Jaya on National Daughter’s Day.
“Happy Daughter’s Day to my daughter. My heart,” Dern wrote via Instagram in September, alongside two photos of her with Jaya as children. “You are the most inspiring person and what an honor to be your mom!”
While the Oscar winner and Jaya have formed a deep mother-daughter bond over the years, Dern is still adamant about making her daughter last before she follows in her footsteps.
“I’m basically making her wait,” he said Blue velvet the actress said during an appearance at The Ellen DeGeneres Show in March. “I started very young at 11 and I am so happy that he is waiting and wants to go to school [even though] she knows in her heart that she wants to act. … She often says, “You didn’t wait.”
The California native went on to explain that he “pushed” his parents, Diane Ladd and Bruce Dern, to let her act at a young age and “force” her career on them. “I saw the consequences of not being in school, just doing my job,” he said The story of marriage the star said at the time.
Dern and Harper, 53, who also share son Ellery, 20, were married for eight years before calling it quits in 2013. Wild The star has since become candid about how single parenthood has been a “stressful” endeavour.
“On the good days, I’m kind enough to remember that there are growing pains and everything is overwhelming and it’s not easy or always fun,” the Emmy winner said. Modern luxury in August 2019. “On tough days…there’s just too much going on—and it can be hard to take a minute. I’ve never had anyone else bully me in my life as a single parent.”
Three months prior, however, Dern opened up to In style about being a single mom, including how it made her more ambitious.
“Raising kids gave me enough street cred to feel like I deserved the right to make money,” the Enlightened alum explained. “This moment in my life is so sexy and liberating because I’ve had many relationships, I’ve had a marriage, I have my wonderful children, so I’m not hiding who I am to get someone who’s willing to have children. or be married.”