Kyle MacLachlan.

Kyle MacLachlan was born on February 22, 1959, in Yakima, Washington, to Catherine Louise Stone and Kent Alan McLachlan. His father was a lawyer and stockbroker; his mother worked in public relations. In Yakima, he was described by Rich Cohen in Rolling Stone as the boy next door who spent lots of time alone in the basement. He graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1977 and studied at the University of Washington, earning a Bachelor of Fine Arts in 1982.

MacLachlan made his feature film debut in David Lynch’s adaptation of Frank Herbert’s Dune 1984. Though the film was not a commercial success, it led to his second collaboration with Lynch: Blue Velvet 1986, a film that established him as a distinctive screen presence. In 1987, he appeared in the cult sci-fi film The Hidden as an otherworldly FBI agent, a role that anticipated his later part in Twin Peaks. From 1990 to 1991, he played Special Agent Dale Cooper on the ABC series Twin Peaks, created by Lynch and Mark Frost. His performance earned him a Golden Globe Award and two Emmy nominations. He portrayed Ray Manzarek in Oliver Stone’s The Doors 1991 and played villain Cliff Vandercave in The Flintstones 1994.

After the notorious flop Showgirls 1995, he rebounded with a recurring role on HBO’s Sex and the City 1998 and starred in the TV movie The Spring 2000. He played Claudius in Michael Almereyda’s Hamlet 2000 and Cary Grant’s spirit in Touch of Pink 2004. He stayed active in independent film and television, appearing on ABC’s In Justice 2006 and Desperate Housewives 2004. He portrayed the fictional Mayor of Portland on the IFC series Portlandia 2011, co-starring with Sarah McLachlan.

MacLachlan married Desiree Gruber at Plymouth Congregational Church in Miami, Florida, on April 20, 2002. The couple has one son, Callum Lyon MacLachlan, born on July 25, 2008. The family resides in Los Angeles, California. He owns a winery in the Columbia Valley of Washington State called Pursued by Bear, a name suggested by Steve Martin—a reference to a stage direction in Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale. When Callum was born, he created a wine vintage called Baby Bear. He spells his last name differently than his father, Kent McLachlan, who died in 2011 at age 77. He has Scottish ancestry and is a member of Clan Maclachlan.

Kyle MacLachlan is best remembered for his role as FBI Agent Dale Cooper in Twin Peaks, a performance that redefined the portrayal of FBI agents on television and earned him a Golden Globe. His collaborations with David Lynch produced some of the most memorable films of the 1980s and 1990s. His work on Twin Peaks influenced a generation of mystery and supernatural dramas. He received a Saturn Award for Best Actor on Television for his role in the 2017 Twin Peaks revival. Off-screen, his winery Pursued by Bear has become a notable Washington State vineyard, reflecting his diverse interests beyond acting.