Twin Peaks premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990
NEED TO KNOW
-
The crime drama was co-created by Mark Frost and the late David Lynch
-
Famous faces who guest-starred on Twin Peaks include David Duchovny, Michael Cera, Molly Shannon and Amanda Seyfried
Twin Peakssaw several guest stars venturing to the fictional logging town in Washington — a few for more than a damn fine cup of coffee.
Co-created by Mark Frost and the lateDavid Lynch, the genre-bending crime drama premiered on April 8, 1990. The series followed Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) as he worked to uncover who killed teenager Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee).
The show won two Emmys, three Golden Globes and a Peabody Award, and it forever changed TV with its unique surrealist tone and cinematic storytelling.
WhileTwin Peaksfeatured an ensemble cast, including MacLachlan, Dana Ashbrook,Richard Beymer,Mädchen Amick,Piper Laurieand more, it also welcomed some now-famous faces in minor roles or brief cameos across its original run and 2017 Showtime revival series.
In honor ofTwin Peaks' 36th anniversary, let's give ourselves a present and revisit the many actors who passed through the small northwestern town.
Willie Garson
Before he starred onSex and the Cityas Stanford Blatch, Carrie Bradshaw's (Sarah Jessica Parker) loyal confidant,Willie Garsonappeared on a season 2 episode ofTwin Peaksas an unnamed heavy metal roadie.
During his scene, he recounted to Agent Cooper how his bandmate Rusty Tomasky (Ted Raimi) followed Windom Earle (Kenneth Welsh) into the woods before he was murdered.
Garsondied of pancreatic cancerin September 2021. He was 57.
David Duchovny
David Duchovnywas perhaps the most famous among the guest actors to appear onTwin Peaks, preceding his iconic turn as FBI agent Fox Mulder onThe X-Fileswith a memorable stint as transgender DEA agent Denise Bryson on season 2.
Duchovny reprised the role for the 2017 revival season, in which Denise had become the FBI's Chief of Staff.
Heather Graham
If you're one of those with hazy memories ofTwin Peaks'back half, you might forget thatHeather Grahamplayed Annie Blackburn, the little sister ofPeggy Lipton's Norma, on season 2.
However, that's her in her pre-Boogie Nights(1997) glory, with a magnificent mane of moussed hair in her first major role afterLicense to Drive(1988).
Graham even appeared in the 1992 prequel movieTwin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, while most of the series actors did not.
Billy Zane
Audrey Horne (Sherilyn Fenn) fell hard for Agent Cooper — but thenBilly Zane's dashing John Justice "Jack" Wheeler rolled into town during season 2, and Audrey suddenly only had eyes for him.
BeforeTwin Peaks, Zane appeared in the first twoBack to the Futurefilms in 1985 and 1989, respectively, and starred in the 1989 thrillerDead Calm. He would become best known for playing the villainous Caledon "Cal" Hockley in 1997'sTitanic.
Robyn Lively
During season 2,Twin Peaksintroduced Lana Milford (née Budding), a beautiful woman who the men in town find irresistible, even though there's no shortage of drop-dead gorgeous women around.
ActressRobyn Lively— ofTeen Witch(1989) fame andBlake Lively'shalf-sister— portrayed Lana.
Molly Shannon
Before joining the cast ofSaturday Night Livein 1995,Molly Shannonplayed more restrained roles. One of those was an appearance on season 2 ofTwin Peaks.
She played Judy Swain, the case manager for Nicholas "Nicky" Needleman (Joshua Harris), an orphan who may or may not be evil. Judy wasn't a standout character, which was too bad, because that ebullientMary Katherine Gallagherenergy would have been right at home onTwin Peaks.
Brenda Strong
Brenda Strongis most known for her roles on theDallasreboot as Ann Ewing and onSeinfeldas Elaine's (Julia Louis-Dreyfus) nemesis, Sue Ellen Mischke. However, on season 2 ofTwin Peaks, the actress played Miss Jones, the right-hand woman for one of the series' heavies, Thomas Eckhardt (the lateDavid Warner).
Strong would go on to play Mary Alice Young onDesperate Housewives. The role was originally given to Lee, who portrayed Laura Palmer onTwin Peaks. Coincidentally, both Laura and Mary Alice are characters who are dead for the entire series.
Alicia Witt
MostTwin Peaksepisodes end with "Laura Palmer's Theme" played over a photo of Laura as prom queen. However, the second season premiere closes out with footage ofAlicia Wittplaying piano.
Advertisement
During the episode, Witt played Gersten Hayward, the younger sister of Donna (Lara Flynn Boyle).
Witthad previously appearedin Lynch's 1984 adaptation ofDune. She would later play the titular character's daughter onCybill, have recurring roles on shows likeJustifiedandFriday Night Lightsand appear on two episodes of the Showtime limited seriesTwin Peaks: The Return.
Michael Parks
Before he became aQuentin Tarantinoregular, appearing inKill Bill: Volume 1(2003) and2(2004),Grindhouse(2007) andDjango Unchained(2012), Michael Parks was on season 2 ofTwin Peaksplaying Jean Renault, a drug-running crime boss and the meanest French Canadian in the history of American TV.
Parks died at age 77 in May 2017,perThe Hollywood Reporter.
Frances Bay
Never forget how terrifying the late Frances Bay once made creamed corn seem. Beyond her season 2 appearance, she was probably best known for playingAdam Sandler's grandmother in 1996'sHappy Gilmoreorthe marble rye ladyfromSeinfeld.
However, on oneTwin Peaksepisode (andFire Walk with Meas well), Bay played enigmatic granny Mrs. Tremond, who showed up with her creepy grandson (played by Lynch's sonAustin Jack Lynch) to screw with the heads of the town's residents.
Bay worked on multiple Lynch projects, includingBlue Velvet(1986) andWild at Heart(1990). She died at age 92 in September 2011,per theLos Angeles Times.
Matthew Lillard
Known for his roles in theScreamandScooby-Doofilm franchises,Matthew Lillardhad a four-episode stint onTwin Peaks: The Returnas William Hastings, a high school principal with a blog dedicated to alternate dimensions and paranormal activity.
He and his mistress — Ruth Davenport (Mary Stofle, Lynch's then-sister-in-law), who is eventually found decapitated in her apartment — get caught in the crossfire between Dale Cooper's doppelgänger and the long-missing Major Garland Briggs (Don S. Davis).
Lillard returned to theScreamworld forScream 7in 2026. He appeared in 2023'sFive Nights at Freddy'sand its2025 sequel.
Ashley Judd
After scoring credits for films likeKiss the Girls(1997),Double Jeopardy(1999),Someone Like You(2001) andDivergent(2014),Ashley JuddjoinedThe Returnas Beverly Paige, a secretary at the Great Northern Hotel.
At home, she tended to her ailing husband (Hugh Dillon), while at work she flirted with hotel owner Benjamin Horne (Beymer).
Amanda Seyfried
Beforewinning an Emmyfor her performance asElizabeth Holmesin Hulu'sThe Dropout,Amanda Seyfriedappeared onThe Returnas Becky Burnett, the troubled daughter of Bobby (Ashbrook) and Shelly Briggs (Amick).
Upon discovering that her abusive husband (Caleb Landry Jones) had been unfaithful, Becky drove off with her parents' car and shot at the door of his mistress' apartment.
Monica Bellucci
OnThe Return, FBI Deputy Director Gordon Cole (Lynch) recounted a dream in which Italian actressMonica Bellucciappeared as herself.
In the vision, she invited him to a café in Paris, where she quoted: "We are like the dreamer who dreams, and then lives inside the dream," before asking, "But who is the dreamer?"
Bellucci then gestured for Gordon to look behind him — and he saw a flashback from 1989, the day Agent Phillip Jeffries (David Bowie) appeared at the FBI headquarters and delivered significant information.
Michael Cera
Already known for his work in films likeSuperbad(2007),Juno(2009) andScott Pilgrim vs the World(2010), Cera made a cameo onThe Returnas Wally Brando, Andy (Harry Goaz) and Lucy Brennan's (Kimmy Robertson) son, whocan do a great Marlon Brando impression.
Cera's projects afterTwin Peaks' third season included the TV showLife & Bethand films likeBarbie(2023),The Phoenician Scheme(2025) andThe Running Man(2025).
Sky Ferreira
Sky Ferreira popped up in an episode ofThe Returnas Ella, a former fast food employee who tells her friend Chloe (Karolina Wydra) that she was fired after being caught showing up to work while high.
The "Everything Is Embarrassing" singer, who also starred in 2017'sBaby Driver, later appeared in18 & Over(2022) andReptile(2023) and on a 2020 episode ofThe Twilight Zone.
Read the original article onPeople
0 Comments