Although MacLachlan made an infamous movie debut in director David Lynch's commercial and critical flop
Dune, the two went on to have a fruitful collaboration. With everyman good looks and a pleasant, offbeat demeanor, MacLachlan became Lynch's muse, starring in the auteur's classic 1986 thriller
Blue Velvet and in his groundbreaking TV show,
Twin Peaks. MacLachlan earned two Emmy nods and a Golden Globe as the gung-ho FBI agent of Lynch's dreamlike series, although he didn't fare as well in the show's spin-off film. The cult actor continued to appear in indie flicks (Mike Figgis'
Timecode, Michael Almereyda's
Hamlet), but as the '90s wore on he appeared less frequently on the big screen, especially after a Razzie-nominated performance in the 1995 mega-bomb
Showgirls. Instead, MacLachlan found his niche on television, starring in a plethora of TV-movies and portraying romantic (if very flawed) leads on
Sex and the City and
Desperate Housewives. In 2010, he left the latter after four seasons to stay in New York with his wife,
Project Runway executive producer Desiree Gruber, and their son, Callum, rather than continue his commute to the set in Los Angeles.
Kyle MacLachlan Fast Facts:
- Was originally rejected for his first film, Dune, because executive producer Dino De Laurentiis didn't like his haircut.
- Turned down the Charlie Sheen role in Platoon.
- Is an avid golfer, and has been ranked on Golf Digest's Top 100 list of celebrity golfers.
- Made Broadway debut in 2003 in Harold Pinter's The Caretaker, opposite Patrick Stewart and Aidan Gillen.
- Is a partner in a Washington winery called Pursued by Bear, which takes its name from a stage direction ("Exit, pursued by a bear") in Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale.
- Kyle MacLachlan Relationships:
- Desiree Gruber - Wife
- Kent MacLachlan Jr. - Brother
- Linda Evangelista - Ex-fiancée
- Laura Dern - Ex-significant Other
- Kent MacLachlan - Father
- Katherine MacLachlan - Mother
- Lara Flynn Boyle - Ex-significant Other
- Callum Lyon MacLachlan - Son
- Craig MacLachlan - Brother
- Kyle MacLachlan Awards:
- 2004 Genie Awards: Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role - Nominee
- 1990 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Nominee
- 1991 Emmy: Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series - Nominee
- 1991 Golden Globe: Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series - Drama - Winner
- 2008 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2007 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- 2006 Screen Actors Guild Awards: Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Comedy Series - Nominee
- College:
- University of Washington, Seattle, WA (BA in Drama, 1981)