Bruce Dern, 89, Says He ‘Never Became a Big Star’ and Was Surprised to Learn People ‘Give a S---' About His Career (Exclusive)
Bruce Dern, 89, Says He ‘Never Became a Big Star’ and Was Surprised to Learn People ‘Give a S---' About His Career (Exclusive)
Carita Rizzo, Angela AndaloroThu, May 21, 2026 at 9:09 PM UTC
0
Bruce Dern at "Dernsie: The Amazing Life Of Bruce Dern" photocall at the 79th annual Cannes Film Festival at Palais des Festivals on May 20, 2026
Credit: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis via Getty
-
In the new documentary Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern, Bruce Dern looks back at over six decades in Hollywood
Dern spoke with people at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival in France about realizing the interest in his story through the making of the film
The new documentary premiered on May 20
Bruce Dern is touched by the interest in his life's story.
Speaking with PEOPLE at the Cannes Film Festival for the screening of the new documentary Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern on Wednesday, May 20, the actor, 89, shared his feelings about being the subject of the film. The documentary focuses on Bruce's life after more than 65 years in Hollywood, a title inspired by a phrase describing his improvisational acting style.
"The thing that touches me most about the movie — two things, first of all, and coming to Cannes is the first thing because it means there are people here that give a s---, and my friends are the only people that give a s---. The thing about all the guys and girls that we got to interview, each one gave a s--- about talking or working with me or something else," Dern tells PEOPLE.
— sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Jaya Harper, Laura Dern, Bruce Dern and Ellery Walker Harper
Credit: Daniele Venturelli/WireImage
The movie is directed by Mike Mendez and features appearances by Laura Dern, Quentin Tarantino, Alexander Payne and Bruce himself, who walks through his storied career in his own words.
"I think what I like most about our movie is that I found little things that other people wouldn't recognize because I'm not a big star. I never became a big star. A big star to me is someone who can do $50 million on a weekend; that's a movie star. I was never that. I mean, they've made a lot, the movies, but nothing like that," he noted.
Advertisement
"So I spent the first 40 years of my career thinking that no one really gave a s--- and that's through Coming Home, that's through The Great Gatsby and all that stuff."
Bruce Dern in 1978
Credit: Nicolas Russell/Getty
Bruce landed his first major film role in 1966’s The Wild Angels and later appeared in several westerns, including 1972’s The Cowboys, which, along with 1974's The Great Gatsby, cemented his star status. Over the course of his more than six-decade career, Bruce has earned two Oscar nominations for his performance in 1978’s Coming Home and, more recently, his role in 2013’s Nebraska, directed by Payne.
He’s also appeared in three Tarantino films: Django Unchained, The Hateful Eight and Once Upon a Time in Hollywood — the latter of which he took over from his friend Burt Reynolds after his death in 2018.
"I'm delighted that Cannes invited us here because it means what I said at the very beginning. If people give a s---, Cannes gives a s--- about my film, and that really touched me. I couldn't hardly believe that."
Dernsie: The Amazing Life of Bruce Dern does not yet have a release date following its Cannes Film Festival premiere.
on People
Source: “AOL Entertainment”
