Laura Dern has joked that she "can't shake" Meryl Streep

She quipped: "I can't shake this broad! I mean, I was like, why do I have to work with Meryl Streep?"

However, Laura - who portrays Renata Klein in 'Big Little Lies' - then admitted it's been a "dream" being in the company of the 69-year-old screen legend.

She added: "It's literally the dream of my life, and the fact that I spent from March to Christmas with her is just amazing."

'Little Women' also stars the likes of Timothee Chalamet, Saoirse Ronan and Emma Watson, and Laura - who plays Marmee March - said it was a "very beautiful experience" and heaped praise on director Greta.

She told 'Entertainment Tonight': "It was amazing, can't wait for everyone to see it.

"I know Greta Gerwig is hard at work in the editing room right now. It was a very, very beautiful experience. I too love the book so much, so amazing I get to play Marmee."

Meryl will play Mary Louise Wright, the mother of Perry Wright (Alexander Skarsgard), in 'Big Little Lies', which also stars the likes of Shailene Woodley (Jane Chapman), Reese Witherspoon (Madeline Mackenzie) and Nicole Kidman (Celeste Wright) - with the latter two developing the show with the author of the book its based on, Liane Moriarty.

Meryl got in touch with Nicole about joining the cast after the show scooped four Golden Globes.

Nicole recalled previously: "She goes, 'I suppose now I have to join you.'

And we were like, 'What?' The two of us were just shocked.

"There was no script when Streep signed on. "She hadn't even read it. That's how much she wanted to support us."

Whilst Nicole admitted she was nervous working alongside Meryl, she and Reese wanted to make sure they had the perfect script for the 'Devil Wears Prada' star.

And she also teased that the women have "much stronger" roles in season two, which airs later this year.

She said: "You're acting opposite the great one. I get nervous anyway - but to be opposite her and not want her to think, 'Who is this amateur?' And also, we want to deliver a series for her that she's great in.

"Reese and I were like, 'We want this for her and for the other women.'

"They have much stronger roles in the second one."