Keanu Reeves brought his mom to the Oscars

Laura Dern, who stars in two of tonight's best picture nominations, "Little Women" and "Marriage Story," described the road to taking the role in the latter.

Dern explained to Ryan Seacrest on E! Live from the Red Carpet that the idea for the movie and who would star in it came over a year and a half of dinners between herself and her costars Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson and "Marriage Story" writer/director Noah Baumbach.

"Adam and Noah were already having conversations," Dern said, which were about "life, love, the kinds of roles we wanted to play."

"Noah then announced that he wanted to tell a love story, but through the lens of divorce," she added, calling the idea "radical.”

Dern added: "He's such an incredible writer and filmmaker."

She also worked with Baumbach's partner, Greta Gerwig, who directed "Little Women."