Character actors are the foundation on which our best cinema is built upon. Theirs is often the most memorable role in a film: Lon Chaney Jr. in The Wolf Man; Christopher Lloyd in Back to the Future; Fairuza Balk in The Craft; Kathy Bates in Misery. All bring something special to the part they play, be it a chameleon-like ability to become something new, like Gary Oldman, or the perfect definition of a "type," like Allison Janney.
Kyle MacLachlan, the co-star of MASTERPIECE’s Atlantic Crossing, falls somewhere between these two kinds of character actors. From the supremely goofy to the starry eyed, the self-obsessed to the downright evil, Kyle MacLachlan doesn’t necessarily disappear into his character as much as he brings facets of his own personality to the fore. To paraphrase Walt Whitman, he contains multitudes.
Here are four of our favorites from amongst those multitudes.
Special Agent Dale Cooper — Twin Peaks
Perhaps his most well-known role, MacLachlan’s turn as Agent Dale Cooper was his third collaboration with the incomparable David Lynch. Lynch had first directed MacLachlan in his debut role as Paul Atreides in Dune, followed closely by the violent noir Blue Velvet. Both showcased an amazing new talent, but it was as Dale Cooper that MacLachlan was really able to put his performative range on display. Through Cooper’s investigation in the small-town Washington, he’s at turns a hard-boiled detective, a romantic lead, haunted by supernatural events, possessed by absolute evil, and downright hilarious. It’s a sign of MacLachlan’s capabilities that he stands out so much in a cast made up of character actors, all of whom are absolutely chewing through the scenery. If you didn’t catch the Peaks train during its recent reboot in 2017, now might just be the perfect time.
Mr. Mayor — Portlandia
In a show populated by comedians — including heavy-hitters like Fred Armisen, Carrie Brownstein, Kumail Nanjiani, and Natasha Lyonne — it can be hard to stand out. But there’s a reason that MacLachlan was the most utilized actor in the series outside of the two leads of Armisen and Brownstein. As Mr. Mayor he is the definition of quirky, a farcical character that embodies the motto “Keep Portland Weird.” From trying to take the town green to running away to lead a local cult, Mr. Mayor is relentlessly positive and impressively bumbling. As MacLachlan put it in an interview with IndieWire, “Mr. Mayor is very sincere, of course, and… highly energetic. He just happens to be in situations that are very wacky, especially when he is with Fred and Carrie.” It’s this conceit that creates a Laurel and Hardy-esque scenario where MacLachlan’s own personality shines through.
Zack Carey — Showgirls
While Showgirls might not be what most would call a "good" movie, it is camp of the highest order. Not only does it feature an intense vamp-off between Elizabeth Berkley as Nomi (Saved By the Bell) and Gina Gershon as Cristal (Cocktail), but it has a startlingly amazing crew, led by director Paul Verhoeven (Robocop, Starship Troopers) and writer Joe Eszterhas (Flashdance, Basic Instinct). The chocolate sauce on the absurdist sundae is MacLachlan’s character Zack, a role that is perhaps one of his most disturbing. Though he starts as a weapon in the battle between Nomi and Cristal, Zack quickly evolves into the villain of the piece, serving as the embodiment of sleezy Las Vegas corruption. And while we’ve seen that MacLachlan is an actor that can wring laughter as well as tears from a scene, it doesn’t make us any less impressed with his ability to make a two-dimensional character truly chilling. But be warned: this movie is chock-full of triggering moments.
Calvin Zabo — Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D
While MacLachlan turned Showgirls’ sleezy Zack Carey into a truly reprehensible character, his turn as Calvin Zabo in S.H.I.E.L.D set a new bar for his personification of evil. While Zabo has a distinctly disheveled appearance, MacLachlan grants him a barely restrained menace that oozes across the screen from his first appearance in the series. Dead eyes and clenched teeth give way to violent fits of rage, startling moments of desperation, and eventually, MacLachlan's signature eccentric psychopathy. In a show of flashy action sequences and espionage thrills, MacLachlan’s scene’s as Zabo bring a dramatic horror to the proceedings.
With his great resume and deep well of talent, we can’t wait to see what MacLachlan brings to his role as FDR in MASTERPIECE’s Atlantic Crossing, starting Sunday, April 4, at 9pm. Or watch it right here on GBH Passport.
