Laura Dern dropped out of college to film 'Blue Velvet' despite being told the decision was 'insane.' The career gamble paid off for the Oscar winner.

• Laura Dern dropped out of UCLA to film "Blue Velvet," her breakout role.
• She told the "Where Everybody Knows Your Name" podcast that her course leaders were unsupportive.
• Dern said the former head of UCLA's film department said it was "insane" to drop out for the film.

Laura Dern said a former head of her college film department once called her plan to leave college to film "Blue Velvet" "insane." But the gamble may have been one of her best career moves.