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Conan O'Brien welcomes actor Kyle MacLachlan to the podcast to discuss his new memoir, Fictional Cells, his early career breakthroughs, and his long-standing creative partnership with director David Lynch. MacLachlan explains the central premise of his book: the duality between his confident, ambitious public persona and his shy, late-bloomer roots from Yakima, Washington. The conversation traces MacLachlan's unexpected casting in David Lynch's 1984 film Dune, the intense contract restrictions that followed its box-office failure, and his subsequent career-defining roles in Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks.
Throughout the episode, Conan and MacLachlan share stories about the grueling realities of hosting Saturday Night Live, the unique surrealism of Lynch's directing style, and how aging has brought a greater sense of self-acceptance and comfort with their craft. The discussion highlights how television has evolved since the groundbreaking 1989 debut of Twin Peaks, while also touching on MacLachlan's current projects, including his podcast What Are We Even Doing?
The episode begins with a series of product advertisements followed by the host’s introduction to the show.
Kyle McLaughlin joins the show, and the hosts welcome him as a new guest and friend.
The hosts introduce Blaze Arcade, a weekly radio show hosted by Blay and Eduardo, and discuss its format and history.
Kyle recounts his early acting career, including his first role in Dune and his subsequent work on Twin Peaks.
The hosts reflect on friendship dynamics, identity, and the personal growth experienced through the podcast and Kyle’s career.
The episode features a short segment of advertisements for Quince apparel and Miller Lite beer, interspersed with host commentary.
Discussion of how David Lynch and other directors approached the Twin Peaks series and the creative choices behind it.
Exploration of Agent Cooper’s character, his interactions with actors, and the behind‑the‑scenes moments that shaped his on‑screen presence.
Reflection on the show’s ratings, media coverage, and the broader influence it had on television and pop culture.
The guest shares the emotional impact of David Lynch’s death and how it affected his career and personal life.
Discussion of the guest’s subsequent roles, fan interactions, and the lasting legacy of Twin Peaks in his career.
A brief commercial break featuring a T‑Mobile advertisement inserted into the episode.
The Make-A-Wish Lunch Invitationstory
Conan recalls being a brand-new writer at Saturday Night Live in 1989 when head writer Jim Downey invited him to lunch with guest host Kyle MacLachlan, making Conan feel like a bewildered Make-A-Wish kid.
Dune's Career-Pausing Contractdata
MacLachlan explains that after filming Dune in 1983, a strict contractual clause prevented him from working in film or television for over a year until the movie was released.
Sharing Blue Velvet With Momstory
MacLachlan shares the story of showing the harrowing Blue Velvet script to his mother while she was undergoing cancer treatment, initially turning down the role out of respect for her reaction.
The Terror of SNL Monologuesinsight
MacLachlan and Conan discuss the high-stress environment of Saturday Night Live, where hosts often received their monologues mere minutes before going on stage.
The Impromptu Nose Boopstrategy
Conan asks about a famous, unusual moment in Twin Peaks where Agent Cooper casually reaches over and touches Sheriff Truman's nose, which MacLachlan reveals was an instruction from David Lynch right before the take.
Passing on Grey's Anatomystory
Conan and MacLachlan bond over the revelation that they were both up for the lead role on Grey's Anatomy, with MacLachlan ultimately deciding the character's smolder factor wasn't the right fit.
“Owning a car or home comes with responsibilities.”
“One accident little click can expose your information, putting you at risk of identity theft.”
“I was a complete unknown. I'm in a massive, expensive movie. It's, it's not happening.”
“The network was pushing and pushing and pushing that who killed Laura Palmer was the reason to watch.”
“We all have those pieces in our closet we can count on.”
“Twin Peaks. They have other things they're gonna do. David's gonna have to direct a film. Mark wants to direct a film.”
“I remembered watching at some point and thinking, I still love the show. I don't think they know who killed Laura Palmer.”
“It's like, he goes high, you go low.”
“I think there's both an acceptance of those qualities and the things that you've done that are different and quirky.”
“I remember the moment that I heard and I couldn't, he was in, not in the best of health, but we had been, we'd spoken like a week earlier.”
Actor Kyle MacLachlan feels fortunate about being Conan O’Brien’s friend. Kyle sits down with Conan to discuss his new memoir Fictional Selves, how being plucked from the stage to star in the 1984 adaptation of Dune led to a lifelong collaboration with director David Lynch, and bringing a unique eccentricity to his iconic role as Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks. Plus, Conan responds to a listener voicemail about where this world is going. For Conan videos, tour dates and more visit TeamCoco.com. Got a question for Conan? Call our voicemail: (323) 362-2295.
14,047 words · 8 speakers
Speaker names marked are inferred from speaking time and the show’s known hosts — they are not voice-verified.
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