Kyle MacLachlan on Playing a Gay Man in ‘Giant Little Ones,’ His Emmy Snub, and the Future of ‘Twin Peaks’ — TIFF
You may be disappointed, even angry, that Kyle MacLachlan didn’t receive an Emmy nomination for his masterful work on “Twin Peaks: The Return,” but the actor himself is handling the snub with all the grace you’d expect of one Special Agent Dale Cooper.
“It’d be disingenuous to say I wasn’t disappointed, but the best thing about it is that the role and the work is out there for people to see,” MacLachlan told IndieWire from TIFF, where his new film “Giant Little Ones” just had its world premiere in the Special Presentations section. “I’m proud of it, so that’s what’s most important, I guess. And there were a lot of nominations for the show in other categories.”
“Giant Little Ones” was MacLachlan’s first project following the completion of “Twin Peaks,” but what he looks for in a role hasn’t changed even after leading the latest iteration of David Lynch’s one-of-a-kind series. “I try to find something I can add something to, contribute to, something that makes sense to me,” he said. “In most cases you either respond to something or you don’t, and then I take a look at the periphery, of course — all the other elements, people involved, the director, etcetera.”
MacLachlan plays a married father whose family is irrevocably altered after he leaves his wife (Maria Bello) for another man in Keith Behrman’s film, which presented both a challenge and an opportunity for the actor.
“I read it, and I liked the script very much — it was a significant departure from what I’d done on ‘Twin Peaks.’ He’s a father, he’s a caring father with integrity and strength and purpose, and I liked the message of the film. It made sense, and it was shot not too far from New York, so it was a nice back-and-forth.”
Watch an exclusive clip from “Giant Little Ones” below but, before you do, know that we asked MacLachlan whether there have been any rumblings about continuing “Twin Peaks” — even if we didn’t love his answer. “No, I haven’t heard anything,” he told us. “I haven’t spoken to David about it, I don’t know what he’s thinking. As of now, I’ve not heard anything about going forward.” Sounds like someone’s still stuck in the Black Lodge.
