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Welcome home, Kyle MacLachlan.

The Golden Globe-winning and Emmy-nominated actor returned to Yakima to open the 2025-26 Yakima Town Hall series Wednesday at The Capitol Theatre with a mix of pride and nostalgia.

MacLachlan graduated from Eisenhower High School in 1977, where he first experienced the stage and mentoring from Ike staff.

鈥淚 never took the drama courses, but I was in all the fall plays and spring musicals,鈥� MacLachlan said. 鈥淢y junior year, Gary Basinger came as choir director, and he had a big influence on me.鈥�

After portraying a range of roles from large to small and going all in on performing, MacLachlan reflected, 鈥淕ary, along with Doug Cairns, the musical director, were both important mentors.鈥�

Being back in Yakima, MacLachlan remembered a time when Scenic Drive had no houses.

鈥淭he city is growing,鈥� MacLachlan said. 鈥淒riving from Scenic down onto Summitview, I passed the old corner where I used to be a patrol boy back when I was at Gilbert Elementary. I went past the Lariat that鈥檚 still there, and even the orthodontic center where Dr. Beringer took care of my teeth for five years. It was a real trip down memory lane.鈥�

Career highlights

After college, his career began in extraordinary fashion with David Lynch and 鈥淒une.鈥� In January 1983, he'd been out of school for about eight months, and did a screen test for the character Paul Atreides.

鈥淒avid walked over and said, 鈥楬ey bud, here鈥檚 what we鈥檙e gonna do. You鈥檒l look right into the lens and deliver this speech to your Fremen warriors,鈥� " he recounted. "I started in 鈥� 'Our time has come, Father, our time has come' 鈥� and then I froze. I told David, 鈥業 don鈥檛 know if I can do this.鈥� "

MacLachlan recalls Lynch chuckling at him and saying, "Hey, don鈥檛 worry about it, bud. It鈥檚 just film. We鈥檒l go again. You鈥檒l be fine."

Those simple words unlocked something in MacLachlan and from then on, he made a career out of taking risks and embracing the unknown.

MacLachlan鈥檚 career has spanned over four decades now, including standout roles in 鈥淏lue Velvet,鈥� 鈥淭he Doors,鈥� 鈥淭he Flintstones,鈥� 鈥淪ex and the City,鈥� 鈥淒esperate Housewives,鈥� 鈥淧ortlandia鈥� and most recently, Prime Video鈥檚 鈥淔allout,鈥� which shattered streaming records with 2.9 billion minutes viewed in its first week.

鈥淎n actor鈥檚 career really is feast or famine,鈥� MacLachlan said. 鈥淭here are long periods when I鈥檓 not working, so I spend time in the garden or preparing something new. My podcast (鈥淲hat are we Even Doing?鈥�) had been in the works for a long time, and it just happened to coincide with the release of 鈥淭he Lowdown鈥� on FX. And then there鈥檚 鈥淔allout鈥� later this year. After that, I鈥檒l have some downtime, which I鈥檓 looking forward to, especially since it鈥檚 my last year with my son at home before college.鈥�

'Twin Peaks'

If 鈥淒une鈥� launched MacLachlan, 鈥淭win Peaks鈥� defined him.

Lynch directed the 鈥淭win Peaks鈥� pilot in 1989 and created something special, MacLachlan said.

鈥淭he character of Dale Cooper is one of my all-time favorites,鈥� he said. 鈥淐oming back for 鈥淭win Peaks: The Return鈥� in 2017 was about being back in front of the camera with David. Every day on set was a gift. Originally it was supposed to be nine episodes, but it blossomed into 18 as David told the story he wanted. It was extraordinary to be part of that.鈥�

Lynch and MacLachlan were a duo like cherry pie and coffee.

鈥�(Lynch) has a way of making every actor feel important, like you鈥檙e there with a purpose,鈥� MacLachlan said. 鈥淗is phrases 鈥榓ces,鈥� and 鈥榩eachy keen鈥� still make me smile. And when he鈥檇 say, 鈥榃hoa, that was great,鈥� it meant the world.鈥�

MacLachlan鈥檚 career hasn鈥檛 been without near-misses and lessons and memories.

鈥淚 auditioned for 'A River Runs Through It' down to the wire, actually but they went another direction,鈥� MacLachlan said. 鈥淚t would鈥檝e been amazing to work with Robert Redford. Still, Cooper remains the most special role, because David and I created him together.鈥�

Other memories

While on "Law & Order: SVU," MacLachlan compared the set and work ethic as a really fast machine.

鈥淭here was one scene where I wasn鈥檛 as prepared as I should鈥檝e been, and I thought, 鈥楾his will never happen again.鈥欌��

Over the years, he鈥檚 even held onto a few mementos.

鈥淚 have the Ducal signet ring from 'Dune,' which is a nice keepsake,鈥� MacLachlan said. 鈥淎nd one of my outfits from 'The Flintstones.' Super comfy, kind of a suede shift suit with a big collar. I love it. I take it out occasionally.鈥�

Looking back, MacLachlan reflected on what has guided him since that frozen moment in front of the "Dune" camera: his relationship with fear.

鈥淚鈥檓 still that sensitive kid,鈥� MacLachlan admitted. 鈥淏ut the very quality I thought was my weakness, my sensitivity, turned out to be my strength. It made me the actor I am today. Fear has always been there, but I鈥檝e learned to manage it, even use it.鈥�

He smiled, recalling the famous passage from 鈥淒une鈥� that once daunted him but has since become a touchstone, The Litany of Fear:

鈥淚 must not fear. Fear is the mind-killer.

Fear is the little-death that brings total obliteration.

I will face my fear.

I will permit it to pass over me and through me.

And when it has gone past I will turn the inner eye to see its path.

Where the fear has gone there will be nothing.

Only I will remain.鈥�