Born on Nov. 29, 1935, in Laurel, Miss., Ladd was the only child of veterinarian Preston Paul Ladner and actress Mary Bernadette Ladner, and she began acting, dancing and singing at a young age, according to Life After 50.

Laura Dern loved her mother, and that was evident anytime she had a chance to talk about it. In a conversation recorded just two weeks before her mother Diane Ladd’s death on Monday, the Oscar-winning actress spoke movingly about both of her parents for an upcoming episode of the Variety Awards Circuit Podcast.