Kyle MacLachlan's Memoir Is a Lesson in Owning Your Mistakes
Kyle MacLachlan has spent four decades playing the handsome, trustworthy guy next door. But in his new memoir, Fictional Selves, the 67-year-old actor is ready to admit that the persona doesn't always match the man. The book, out Sept. 29, doesn't just chronicle his roles in Twin Peaks, Blue Velvet, and Sex and the City. It also confronts the moments he isn't proud of, including cheating on Laura Dern while filming Twin Peaks.
“We all have moments in our life where we're not proud of ourselves,” MacLachlan says. “Owning a time period when I was really an ass.”
It's a refreshing level of candor from a star who could easily have written a highlight reel. Instead, he chose honesty, hoping the book might one day offer insight to his 18-year-old son.
What does MacLachlan's career teach us about failure?
MacLachlan's first big break was a notorious flop. Cast as Paul Atreides in David Lynch's 1984 Dune at just 23, he went from making $185 a week in theater to a $50,000 paycheck. Then the movie bombed, and the phone stopped ringing.
“You emerge from nothing, and suddenly, boom! You're in the spotlight and doing this dance,” he recalls. “It came, went, and then I was like, 'Well, I'm kind of back to where I was before.'”
Rather than despair, MacLachlan stayed optimistic. Lynch picked him back up for Blue Velvet in 1986, launching a partnership that would define both their careers. The lesson? Failure is often just a detour, not a dead end.
How did David Lynch shape MacLachlan's approach to acting?
Lynch, who died last year, was more than a director to MacLachlan. He was a mentor and friend who saw potential in the young actor when Hollywood didn't. Their collaboration spanned decades, from Blue Velvet to the 2017 Twin Peaks revival.
Returning to the role of Special Agent Dale Cooper after 25 years was daunting. “Can I do it? Can I still play Cooper?” MacLachlan remembers asking himself. But Lynch's presence made it possible. “I just gave in to that and said, 'OK, we're gonna find it together.'”
Grieving Lynch has been hard. “There's still an emptiness. I can't pick up the phone and call him,” MacLachlan says. “But he's very much alive in my brain.” He finds solace in shared memories with co-stars Laura Dern and Isabella Rossellini.
Why is MacLachlan embracing his TikTok fame?
At an age when many actors slow down, MacLachlan has found a new audience on TikTok. Between his own videos and clips from his podcast What Are We Even Doing?, he's connecting with Gen Z in ways he never expected.
That includes being called “babygirl” in comment sections. “I Googled it,” he says with a laugh. “There's a lot of play in the younger generation; not taking yourself too seriously. That's pretty cool.”
For MacLachlan, it's a chance to let his silly side out and learn from a different perspective. “That's my happy place.”
What rules does MacLachlan live by now?
Asked about the principles that guide him, MacLachlan keeps it simple: “Bring joy. Create joy. Be present with everyone, and be prepared.”
It's a philosophy born from experience. In his younger days, he admits, he could be cavalier. Now he shows up ready. And after 25 years of marriage, he credits his wife's patience and wisdom for keeping him grounded.
“I married someone who has a tremendous patience and understanding of human nature,” he says. “She's very smart, very inspiring.”
As for the roles he didn't get, from Top Gun to Grey's Anatomy, he has no regrets. “Every actor has those stories,” he says. “In my case, more often than not, I've sort of stunk up the place.”
That self-awareness, paired with genuine growth, is exactly what makes Fictional Selves more than a celebrity memoir. It's a reminder that we're all works in progress, and that owning our mistakes is the first step toward becoming better people.
Fictional Selves is available starting Sept. 29.