Laura Dern called it an “incredible honor” to feature in a landmark coming-out episode on “Ellen” more than two decades ago. However, the actor stated that she lost work and required a “full security detail” after its airing.

The actress went on to describe how she and Oprah Winfrey, who was also a guest star on the sitcom Ellen, had to be removed from the stage due to a bomb threat. “A lot of people in my life really worried,” Dern said. “I grew up in a bubble and didn’t realize we weren’t there yet or something.”

After more than 40 years of collecting accolades and landing some of the most sought film and television roles, Laura Dern is one of Hollywood’s greatest success stories.

The star of Big Little Lies said that she didn’t realize how big this episode was until she was seated on set.

“Suddenly a flood of cops swarmed the set and the stage while we were rehearsing. They’re like, ‘There’s been a bomb threat, we’re sweeping the stage.’ And they start literally rushing us off the stage,” she recalled.

Dern said she received “calls” from Hollywood consultants “who were out gay men” advising her not to take part.

Dern claimed she dismissed their concerns because she thought they were “ridiculous” at the time. Dern guest-starred as Susan, a lesbian who helps Ellen realize she is gay, in the famous “The Puppy Episode,” which aired on April 30, 1997. The program, which received a Peabody Award and an Emmy, was the first time a homosexual character was presented as a lead on television and was believed to have been viewed by 42 million people.

Dern told Vulture that being a part of the historic Ellen episode was the “greatest thing [she] could’ve ever been a part of” and that being featured was “an incredible honor.” “I was excited. I didn’t think twice about it. It was a great opportunity,” she said.

It appeared to show that there was a bigger conservative trend in Hollywood in the 1990s than anybody had imagined.

Everyone was so excited to do the Ellen program in 1997 that they had no idea what the consequences could be. After all, the year 1997 was still a time when many homosexual individuals were still frightened to come out. Outside of some changing perspectives on things, they were also greater targets than they thought.

Dern had years of work safety concerns and only filmed for approximately 10 days on the program, which not only included the talk show host coming out on TV, but it was also used as her coming out in real life.

Despite its ratings success and cultural effect, the episode did not go down well with everyone at the time, as it was met with criticism and death threats.

“We only did it for what, ten days? We all spent the next couple of years really struggling in work and safety,” continued Dern. “It was radical to experience that. It was the only time I ever experienced having to have [a] full security detail.”

According to reports, Dern had to deal with the fallout for a year after the Ellen episode aired. Roles were a little less numerous until the 2000s, when memories began to fade. She was back on her way to become one of Hollywood’s greatest actors by then.

Despite her fears for her personal safety, the California native will never forget being on set with DeGeneres and being a part of that important moment when she revealed who she was to the world.

“What was amazing, which I will never forget, that when she looked in my eyes, she said it was the first time she said, ‘I’m gay’ out loud. We didn’t rehearse it, so when she said it to me, and was looking in my eyes and holding my hands and I felt her shaking — the gift — it makes me want to cry — the gift of that, the intimacy of what that means, was such insight for me,” she said. “I’ll carry it for the rest of my life.”