S7 EP2: Kyle MacLachlan on his relationship with David Lynch, Showgirls, and viral stardom
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What is Kyle MacLachlan's relationship with David Lynch?
Hello, Louis Theroux here. Welcome back to the Louis Theroux Podcast.
I'm joined for this episode by American actor and internet baby girl, that's a term apparently, Kyle MacLachlan. Kyle is perhaps best known for his collaborative relationship with iconic American auteur David Lynch. Over the course of 30-odd years, Kyle starred in many of Lynch's best-known works. Twin Peaks? Surely you've seen Twin Peaks, the surrealist neo-noir TV series co-created by Mark Frost, where he plays special agent Dale Cooper. Damn good coffee, is his catchphrase. But before that, he was in David Lynch's Blue Velvet in 1986. That was the first thing I saw him in as a young 16-year-old. Or maybe it was 17. And his first movie role, which was in Lynch's adaptation of Dune in 1984. Other notable pictures include Oliver Stone's The Doors.
That comes up in the chat. Paul Verhoeven's Showgirls and many more. He's also been a mainstay of the small screen, playing characters in mammoth hits like Sex and the City, Desperate Housewives and Portlandia. I watched some Portlandia episodes in the run-up to doing the interview, and you'll be pleased to know that one of the standout moments from the series comes up. That's the moment when Kyle, who plays the mayor of Portlandia, has to sing the Portland anthem and improvises it on the spot. So stay tuned for that. Kyle, older man that he is, as I am too, so I can say that, has managed, like me, to stay massively relevant by taking the internet by storm, specifically going viral with his social media accounts where he lip syncs along to artists like Charlie XCX, Lorde and Chapel Rowan.
We talk about that. I said at the beginning, baby girl. It's so cringe. It makes me want to puke.
How did Kyle MacLachlan feel about his role in Showgirls?
Is this what the younger generation is doing? It's a kind of term for a safe, non-threatening male energy that he's modeling. And that's nice. Why did I want to speak to Kyle? Well, obviously because I'm a fan of his work in general, but most specifically of the stuff that he's done with David Lynch. Blue Velvet is an iconic movie. And I remember seeing it and having a huge impact. And the combination of... Well, that baby girl quality of safe male energy or some sort of old school, non-threatening manliness. But when it's put into the phantasmagoria of the lynch imagination, it's like a yin and a yang. The two things work together. So it's a chance to talk about lynch. and Hollywood, but also the ways in which perhaps that Lynch Association has been both a huge source of pride, but a kind of...
Well, so definitive that in certain ways he speaks of how it may have restricted him from other roles, the way in which he's seen by other directors. So it was an opportunity to talk about one of the most celebrated and respected directors in history.
What makes Twin Peaks a cultural phenomenon?
Also, I really enjoyed Fallout, the series that he's promoting at the moment. My cousin is in it as well. So all of that was grist to my podcasting mill. I'll talk more in the outro. The other thing which comes up early is my wife, Nancy, isn't just a fan of Kyle's work. It turns out she had a crush, something more than a crush, a borderline erotic fixation as a teenager on Kyle. And we've dug out her diary. And so I might even dig into that in the outro. Kyle arrived for the conversation perfectly coiffed and wearing a blue suede jacket. Did you feel a bit underdressed? Millie has written. Not at the time, but I do now that I've read that. I think I looked fine. He's a handsome guy. Like if the metric is, are you as good looking and as well groomed as a top Hollywood actor?
No, I'm not. But that's not my benchmark. I'm just trying to stay ahead of the rest is politics guys. And someone came in and fixed Kyle's hair during the chat, I think. No one ever does that for me. We can arrange that, says Millie. I think I'm good. A quick warning, this conversation contains some strong language and adult themes. It contains lynch themes, which, you know, horrific monster babies, acts of sexual violence, people taking drugs, plus me doing a kind of Dennis Hopper impersonation, right?
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Chapters
8 chapters
1
What is Kyle MacLachlan's relationship with David Lynch?
0:05–2:19
2
How did Kyle MacLachlan feel about his role in Showgirls?
2:19–3:43
3
What makes Twin Peaks a cultural phenomenon?
3:43–8:12
4
How did Kyle MacLachlan become a viral sensation on TikTok?
8:12–15:50
5
What challenges did Kyle face working with Paul Verhoeven?
15:50–16:19
6
How did David Lynch influence Kyle MacLachlan's career?
16:19–23:09
7
What insights does Kyle have about adapting video games into TV shows?
23:09–25:35
8
What is the significance of Kyle MacLachlan's role in Fallout?
25:35–1:14:25
Speakers
3 identifiedMore from The Louis Theroux Podcast
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