Kyle MacLachlan shares a heartfelt tribute to his longtime friend and collaborator, the cult-classic series Twin Peaks (as well as its prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me), credits the director with shaping his career and his life.

In a deeply moving Facebook post, MacLachlan reflected on their 42-year partnership, which began with Lynch casting the then-unknown actor as Paul Atreides in Dune (1984). Read his full testimonial below:

Forty-two years ago, for reasons beyond my comprehension, David Lynch plucked me out of obscurity to star in his first and last big budget movie. He clearly saw something in me that even I didn’t recognize. I owe my entire career, and life really, to his vision.

What I saw in him was an enigmatic and intuitive man with a creative ocean bursting forth inside of him. He was in touch with something the rest of us wish we could get to.

Our friendship blossomed on Blue Velvet and then Twin Peaks and I always found him to be the most authentically alive person I’d ever met.

David was in tune with the universe and his own imagination on a level that seemed to be the best version of human. He was not interested in answers because he understood that questions are the drive that make us who we are. They are our breath.

While the world has lost a remarkable artist, I’ve lost a dear friend who imagined a future for me and allowed me to travel in worlds I could never have conceived on my own.

I can see him now, standing up to greet me in his backyard, with a warm smile and big hug and that Great Plains honk of a voice. We’d talk coffee, the joy of the unexpected, the beauty of the world, and laugh.

His love for me and mine for him came out of the cosmic fate of two people who saw the best things about themselves in each other.

I will miss him more than the limits of my language can tell and my heart can bear. My world is that much fuller because I knew him and that much emptier now that he’s gone.

David, I remain forever changed, and forever your Kale. Thank you for everything.

The Legacy Of David Lynch Through The Work Of Kyle MacLachlan

A Partnership That Redefined Storytelling

MacLachlan first rose to prominence in Lynch’s ambitious adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune, where he starred as Paul Atreides, a young hero navigating giant sandworms amid an intergalactic power struggle. Despite Dune's box office failure, he returned to headline Lynch’s Blue Velvet, a haunting neo-noir that earned Lynch an Academy Award nomination for Best Director. MacLachlan’s portrayal of Jeffrey, a college student drawn into a web of crime and depravity after discovering a severed ear in a vacant field, stands as a testament of his ability to bring a poignant softness to Lynch’s nightmarish worlds.

The actor’s career reached new acclaim with Lynch's murder-mystery series Twin Peaks, where his portrayal of FBI Agent Dale Cooper earned him consecutive Primetime Emmy nominations for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series in 1990 and 1991. Cooper’s meticulous nature, eccentric charm, and deadpan humor made him one of television’s most endearing characters. MacLachlan would go on to reprise the role in the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and again in the 2017 Showtime revival. The actor also nods to his Lynchian namesake, "Kale," a playful moniker the director often used on set.

Our Take On Kyle MacLachlan’s Tribute To David Lynch

A Bond That Transcended Art & Time

MacLachlan’s heartfelt tribute to Lynch celebrates one of cinema’s most iconic actor-director collaborations. Together, they created unforgettable characters that traveled the unknown with unbridled wonder. MacLachlan’s words reflect not only Lynch’s genius but also the authentic bond they shared—a warm connection that shaped the two in both art and life. While the loss of David Lynch is profoundly felt, his legacy as a visionary and mentor lives on, ensuring his influence will continue to inspire audiences and creators for years to come.

Source: Kyle MacLachlan/Facebook