Laura Dernis looking back on her role in making TV history.
The actress, who starred in the 1997 episode of the ABC sitcom "Ellen" whereEllen DeGenerescomes out, talked about the support she has received from the LGBTQ community. Dern told hostsBowen Yang and Matt Rogerson the"Las Culturistas" podcastFeb. 11 episode that in order to "affect change," someone had to be "first."
"The idea of culture catching up to storytelling had to be a thing when someone would go first," she said, referring to the "Ellen" episode.
Dern said she was excited to be a part of the episode, which was one of the first times a character came out as gay on TV and came shortly after DeGeneres came out in real life. But the actress said her choice to star in the episode amid her film success in "Jurassic Park" confused the people around her.
She said it was an "honor and privilege" to be a part of the episode alongside her "friend," with other guest stars includingOprah Winfrey,Demi Mooreand Billy Bob Thornton. She called it a "massive moment" but also recalled the series receiving bomb threats and losing advertisers.
"In a way, the assumption is you're going to do this thing and thank God people will wake up, love their relatives and their neighbors, see them, everything will expand, culture will catch up, and it will be a beautiful celebration," she added. But instead, there was "major security for a couple of years for any of us involved, the world went 'no, no, no,' she lost her show."
Dern faced intense backlash for starring in the episode, once telling DeGeneres on her talk show 10 years after that she did not work for a year and a half after because of it. But, she added, for the LGBTQ community, seeing that representation on screen meant a great deal.
"You go, 'Oh, right.' That's why you want culture to catch up later. Culture is doing it when nobody's caught up," she continued. "It's such a gift."
In the two-part "The Puppy Episode," Ellen's character connects with a woman named Susan – played by Dern – who suggests she might be lesbian, but Ellen rejects the idea. But after Ellen admits the connection to her therapist, played by Winfrey, she rushes to the airport to catch Susan and comes out to her, though mistakenly doing so over the airport's intercom.
"Being part of that moment with Ellen, it wasn't that I was somebody supporting an actor or a friend by being part of the show," Dern said. "But I was holding her hands as they were shaking, and she was looking in my eyes, saying for the first time, 'I'm gay' out loud with people watching."
She continued: "The privilege, the luxury of feeling it for someone in a moment was so beautiful, literally holding space. It was one of the most incredible experiences of my life."
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY:Laura Dern on Ellen DeGeneres coming out on TV, making history