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In this Movies for Grownups interview, Kyle MacLachlan reflects on career twists, David Lynch’s belief in him, and his new memoir “Fictional Selves.”
Key takeaways
- Kyle MacLachlan’s audition for Dune unexpectedly changed his career path.
- David Lynch’s confidence helped MacLachlan believe in his abilities as an actor.
- MacLachlan says curiosity is a key trait of successful older people.
Summary
Kyle MacLachlan reflects on the unexpected turns that shaped his career and life. He recalls studying classical voice with plans to pursue Broadway before an audition for Dune sent him in a completely different direction. He also discusses the profound impact David Lynch had on his development, describing Lynch’s unwavering belief in him as a source of confidence early in his career.
MacLachlan looks back honestly on both successes and disappointments, including his reaction to seeing Showgirls for the first time. He notes that perspectives can change over time and says staying curious remains one of the qualities he most admires in older people who continue to thrive. Humor, self-acceptance and openness to new experiences continue to shape MacLachlan’s approach to life and work.
The key takeaways and summary were created with the assistance of generative AI. An AARP editor reviewed and refined the content for accuracy and clarity.
Full transcript
[0:00] You know, it’s kind of the, the whimsical nature of life.
[0:02] You know, your best plans often will, you know, take you somewhere else.
[0:14] So I studied classical voice and the idea was that I was gonna
[0:17] go to New York and, and sing and Broadway was gonna be my thing.
[0:20] And then a few months before I was set to go, I auditioned for Dune, and then, you know, the trajectory changed completely.
[0:27] A lot of who I am as a person and as an actor can be traced right back to David Lynch.
[0:40] The thing about David was he had absolute confidence in me.
[0:43] Apart from my mom, there wasn’t really anybody else that sort of said, “Yes, I really believe in you.” And my mom wasn’t casting me in, you know, movies.
[0:52] It was really David and just the way he helped me believe that I could do the things I did.
[1:06] Showgirls, during filming, I felt pretty good, and then I saw it.
[1:10] I’ll never forget that moment of just the sinking feeling that comes with watching something that you know is just awful.
[1:15] I was like, “What were you thinking?” You know, nothing worked.
[1:17] We completely went off the rails.
[1:26] Cut to years later, people now enjoy it and love it.
[1:29] Yeah, it’s there.
[1:30] There’s not much else I can say.
[1:39] It’s not like a new character, but it’s sort of the realer me, maybe.
[1:43] I’m very silly and goofy, and I’ve always been that way.
[1:48] I enjoy the challenge of telling a story or doing a moment with a little bit of sense of humor.
[1:56] I feel like I’m staying current, and it’s one of the things I’ve always admired about people who are successful who are older.
[2:02] I feel like they remain curious.
[2:05] You’ve got some great stuff.
[2:07] You got some stuff that’s really OK.
[2:10] And you’ve got these sort of awful things.
[2:12] You just gotta accept it.
