A Cup of Coffee with Actor Kyle MacLachlan (‘Twin Peaks’)
Feb 25, 2024
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Celebrating Dune's anniversary, Kyle MacLachlan talks about true crime podcast, his upbringing, debut role in Dune, collaboration with David Lynch in Blue Velvet. Discusses Twin Peaks, Showgirls, tapping into raw emotion as an actor, social media, and shares a poignant George Price cartoon.
Kyle MacLachlan's podcast Varnum Town sheds light on a small town's involvement in drug smuggling and its impact on the community's economy and residents.
McLachlan's acting journey reflects vulnerability and emotional depth influenced by personal experiences, emphasizing the resilience needed in the industry.
Exploring character transformation, McLachlan's process involves understanding motivations, personal reflections, and collaborative dynamics with other actors.
Deep dives
The Genesis of Varnum Town Podcast
After learning about the intriguing story of a town in coastal North Carolina becoming a top smuggling port for drugs from South America in the 80s, actor Kyle McLachlan and journalist Joshua Davis collaborate to create a podcast named Varnum Town. They conduct interviews with different community members, exploring the town's involvement in drug smuggling and the influence of figures like Pablo Escobar. The podcast delves into the town's transformation due to these illegal activities, shedding light on the community's diverse reactions and the impact on its economy and residents.
Personal Reflections and Professional Evolution
Reflecting on his acting journey with a focus on pivotal moments like Dune and Blue Velvet, Kyle McLachlan discusses the emotional nuances and challenges encountered during his career. He shares insights into how personal experiences, including his parents' divorce and his mother's illness, influenced his approach to complex characters with hidden depths. McLachlan's willingness to embrace vulnerability and navigate turbulent emotional landscapes in his roles parallels his own journey of self-discovery and artistic growth.
Navigating Career Ups and Downs
Amidst career highs and lows, Kyle McLachlan recounts the aftermath of Dune's critical reception and the transition to working on Blue Velvet. He candidly discusses the impact of setbacks and uncertainties in the industry, highlighting the resilience needed to navigate unpredictable challenges. McLachlan's openness about personal struggles and professional uncertainties offers a glimpse into the resilience and adaptability required to sustain a successful acting career in the face of adversity.
The Process of Character Exploration and Development
Delving into the actor's process of character exploration, Kyle McLachlan discusses the joy he finds in becoming another person within a story. He emphasizes the importance of understanding a character's motivations and incorporating personal thoughts and feelings into the role. McLachlan highlights the consistency of the process while acknowledging the unique journey for each character, accentuating the collaborative aspect of working with other actors to bring out the character dynamics.
Reflecting on Artistic Growth and Challenging Roles
As Kyle McLachlan reflects on his career, he touches on the evolution of his approach to acting and navigating complex characters. From portraying innocent characters interested in life's mysteries to embracing challenging roles like the dark and unempathetic Mr. C, McLachlan discusses the need to deeply understand and embody diverse character traits. Additionally, he shares his continuous interest in exploring the enigmatic aspects of life through his work, underscoring the transformative nature of his artistic journey.
In celebration of Dune’s 40th anniversary, we have a damn fine cup of coffee with actor (and now podcaster) Kyle MacLachlan.
We discuss his new true crime podcast Varnamtown (7:08), MacLachlan’s small-town upbringing (15:36), and what inspired him to pursue acting after college (18:15) before landing his debut role in Dune (21:16). Then, he describes the film’s momentous premiere (27:42), his second collaboration with David Lynch in Blue Velvet (32:40) and the personal challenges he faced while making the film (34:08).
On the back-half, we talk through Twin Peaks (41:25), Showgirls (46:57), how he taps into raw emotion as an actor (50:22), his recent foray into social media (58:25), and to close, a poignant George Price cartoon (1:01:00).
For questions, comments, or to join our mailing list, reach me at sf@talkeasypod.com. This conversation was recorded at Spotify Studios in Los Angeles.
