Wednesday, May 12, 2010

Moments from Peaks pilot.

Going to film the pilot of Twin Peaks (then being called Northwest passage) was an exciting time for me. It was of course a huge nod towards feeling like a legitimate actress to be working with David. And to have the role, small as it was to have been written for me. I only wished in my heart that it was bigger. Little did I know....

I had no idea how long moments in Davids world could last an eternity. What is on the screen feels so much more than even in the original first draft of the pilot that I received where I think I had two scenes. David strung together a series of moments....it was so cool.

Strange little scenarios like with the pencil & the Styrofoam coffee cup. Its makes my heart rate increase to think about it. I have not seen a lot of my work. Never wanted to. Sometimes photographs from promotions of a particular job pop into my mind. But most of all I am left with the feeling I had when doing the actual scenes.

So when I think of that scene..... with the coffee cup....I just keep smiling because it was so much fun to make the woman with me so nervous. Forgive me because I cannot remember her name. But we had fun. I see in my minds eye all the goings on of the crew in the lodge, my Daddy's lodge. It was just a fun world, with the murder and all. And being a troublemaker...hehehe. My brothers always felt Audrey was very much the little sister they remember growing up.

I don't get to see David as much as I'd like to these days but when I think of him I smile deeply, into my soul. He is authentic, vulnerable and an artist in his life of seeing beauty in everything. He even sees the beauty in what most call darkness. But dark is just another form of light after all. It all comes from the source. He has soul based reasons for embracing and exploring deep in himself the dark corners and that was one of the most enriching life lessons for me in working with and getting to know him.

I've said it before, I will always be in love with him on a certain level. He made me believe that I was special. The last time I saw him, as I left with tears in my eyes, I hugged him and said thank you for believing in me when no one did. His reply embraced me as he always did from day one. He said,"Sherilyn, there's a lot to believe in!!!"

I love you DKL!!!

Continuing in the lodge....trotting off into see these Norwegians (but more motivated to fuck with her Daddy) bored somehow by life. Actually as I write I realize Audrey reminds me a little of another character I played. Curly's wife in Of Mice and Men. She was less of a victim but both of them posed a threat to the men around them because of their vulnerability and accessibility. Hmmmmmmm, that sounds film familiar.

Again it was a small moment that the grace of David made timeless. I was excited because I got to wear my own favorite pale pink cashmere vintage sweater. But my poor sweater took a beating and was forever changed by the experience much in the same way that I was.

So in this scene I was to go in curious. Browse over the smorgasbord set out for them, exhale sadly, a sort of damsel in distress. Knowing full well that my Daddy wanted them to know nothing of the murder. And once noticed, deliver the knockout punch.

Once I had their attention after another sad sigh I leaned against the wall. This is where my sweater saw its final moments. David had the wardrobe dept tie my sweater into a big, big, bigger knot behind my back. Tight, tight, tighter...hehehe. I couldn't have had my whole back flat on the wall if I wanted. But the effect was, well, effective. Need I say more.

This is the only line reading David ever gave me. As if I cared at all that it was one. I did not. One would be foolish to question his brilliance. I had two or three lines. I don't remember exactly but I know the last one was what he focused on. Not even the last line but the last word. He said stretch it out as long as you can. It went something like this.

The Norwegian head man:
"Pretty little girl is something wrong?"

Audrey Horne:
"They found my friend. (sniff,sniff) In the lake. (sniff) She'd been mmmuuuuuurrrrdddeeerrrreeeeddddd!"

Cut. Print. David loved it and that was good enough for me. Even if it did cost me my sweater.

Then there were the saddle shoes. From the get go David insisted I must have them. Audrey must have saddle shoes. Period. The end. Well, in Seattle for some reason this proved to be almost impossible. But he was relentless and eventually the wardrobe got a pair of white oxfords and painted the black on them.

My own custom shoes. Cool. I never got it really until we did my first shot and I came out of the lodge and hoped into my limousine. The first time I did it much too fast. David lovingly instructed me. He encouraged me to sashay out, hop in the car with my feet still out of the car on the ground, stay there a few beats, then swing them into the car and close the door. I think he even did a shot of my shoes, they got their own close up.

I just showed up and did as Dr. David told me to do. I knew I was clay in the hands of a master and all I could think was.....finally. Finally I get to work with a true artist. I hate to use that word as it is so overused especially in this bullshit business. But he is truly one. Did I say I love him????

There are so many more memories....snow on the ground.....much times spent with James......avoiding parties and Kyle a bit on the make.....I even had an emergency wisdom teeth removal during the filming. But that is all for now.






28 comments:

  1. I have to admit, going back and watching Twin Peaks on DVD again I get very vivid memories of wishing I could have a pair of saddle shoes like Audrey Horne. As the youngest in my household, I liked to stir up trouble like Audrey. I didn't have a big hotel like the Great Northern to do it in, but I still enjoyed teasing people with practical jokes, needling my older sister, and using that drive-by sarcasm that confused most adults. I found it very easy to connect with your character.
    It's why she's still one of my favorites. You and David Lynch really created something lasting in Audrey Horne.

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  2. I love everything David Lynch does, specially the way he use the music with the images. But, besides his talent, I think he has an exceptional good taste: music, stories, cast in general, and, of course, actresses.

    David Lynch got lucky when found you for the role. Sure he had the hability to believe in you, that`s what he does, but Twin Peaks wouldn't have been the same without "that" Audrey.

    I watched the show when first aired it. I was a young teenager and I remember I didn't understand almost anything, but I liked it.

    Over the years, when Twin Peaks came to my mind, I remembered the music - start credits, the face of Laura Palmer with the plastic, Cooper talking to Diane, the red courtains room whith the small guy in it, and the smiling-smart-beautful face of Audry.

    A couple of months ago I watched the serie again, and the first thing that came to my mind was "I thought that Audrey appeared much more on the show".

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  3. Uhm... Really cool story (memories) :)
    Audrey gives the best line in the show to Cooper :"You know what is your problem? You are perfect!". (If you remember of what happening to him in the black lodge, you will get it!)

    I love the saddle shoes introduction!

    Much Love and light,

    Damien.

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  4. wow! amazing! i remember looking all over washington state for oxfords in the style of audrey's as a teenager.i lived in washington state as well. i found some but couldn't find the them same markings as the ones you wore and i remember going nuts wondering what brand they were. now i know why hehehehhe. so cool. you also had a sweet watch that i loved. it had a square face which is my favorite style.

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  5. It couldn't have been a coincidence that two spiritual people like David and yourself found each other... I love Twin peaks but I don't really want a reunion... but I'd love to see you work with him again... That dance in the diner created magic... and who knows what magic could happen again if you two found a good project?

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  6. Looking forward to more stories about Twin Peaks!! Thanks again!

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  7. Great memory, thanks so much for sharing! Hey, do your palms ever itch?

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  8. Thanks for your thoughts, Sherlyn!!! So cool to hear about that. I was just in Snowqualmie and North Ben WA this past week on vacation! I stoped at many Twin Peaks sights- the sign, the cafe, the bridge. And I even stayed at the Great Northern - which is now the Salish Lodge. What a gprgeous place by the waterfall! I thought of 'Audrey' while I was there! :-)
    Question for you - you mention Kyle M. I know he dated Lara Flynn during TP. Rumor has it that "COOPER AND AUDREY's" romance didn't go as it could have because Lara was jealous of you & Kyle. True, or bad false rumor?

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  9. What a wonderful post! So many things I want to comment on, but I'll try to limit it, as not to be too annoying. :) I always sensed David was the best director anyone could hope to work with; not only for his vision and talent, but also because of his reputed kindness, patience and ability to cut through the bullshit trappings that can often surround the H-Wood machine. I am so happy to read that I was correct! I am happily envious of your experience with him.

    Quite frankly, you and Sheryl Lee were the best actresses on that show, and I loved everybody. But there was something visceral that DL was able to catch with both of you--in many ways, I feel your characters were two sides of the same coin, only Laura came up the ultimate loser.

    My favorite bits with you were those moments of coy, yet innocent, smoldering sexuality--so expertly directed and acted. I love the way Audrey tried to cover her nervousness by humming and shifting cutely from side to side when Blackie was "evaluating" her for One-Eyed Jacks. Her moments of vulnerability with her Dad (wow, the Electra/Oedipal overtones slammed us in the face! I don't know that that was ever explored on TV before--and Richard was great, too.) The innocent/dangerous way you approached Cooper...sheer brilliance. TP is a masterpiece, but as I've said before, it wouldn't be the same without you!

    Best, Alexandra

    P.S. Your scene in Wild at Heart still gets me emotional too. I, like everybody else, would love to see you and David together again.

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  10. Nice memories.

    I know you've written that you don't watch yourself. It must be hard to not judge your every move. But, you're quite talented. You should see the finished products, you'll be proud of your performances.

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  11. Uhm.. Yes, this scene is very emotional in Wild at Heart, Alexandra.
    I remember, the first time I saw it, at the release of the movie here in France, I just cry, this is so sad...
    In my head that was : "no... She will not die. No...!!!"

    Love and light to you Alexandra.

    Damien.

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  12. Great share, Sherilyn. Were you studying with Roy London when Twin Peaks came into your life? Your approach to acting is really fascinating and may I suggest a future share where you elaborate even more on how you approach a role or maybe how your approach has changed over the last 27 years? You touched upon it a little in older shares where you talked about working on a scene from Agnes of God with a teacher and also your opinion of the method. I'd love to hear more!!!

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  13. Sherri, I would also love to hear about your time filming The Liz Taylor Story. After Audrey I think it is one of your best performances. LOVE it. And i've heard it was quite an intense shoot that you got quite sick, lost a lot of weight, fought very hard for the scripts integrity. Plus you worked with Ray Wise, you guys had unbelievable screen chemistry!

    Still hoping for a book someday :)

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  14. Twin Peaks was the only show that ever made growing up in a small town seem like a beautiful cool thing, which of course it was.

    Thank god you could tie a cherry stem.

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  15. Sherilyn:

    Hi. Thanks for sharing some of your Twin Peaks memories. I have been a fan of David Lynch for a while and Twin Peaks is a favorite. I enjoy the way he made the unbelievable plots so real and full of genuine emotion. I suppose believability of those many sub-plots should also be attributed to the great actors / actresses he used. Additionally, the very cool music intertwined with scenes had always been particularly note-worthy and memorable. In regards to your Twin Peaks scenes, in which there were many, one of my favorite scenes was from the second season of the TP series. In the scene a dramatic instrumental version of Questions in a World of Blue was just super, mesmerizing. When the song was playing I believe Aubrey was sitting in front of the lodge fire place, staring off in a seemingly vulnerable and contemplative way. The song is on the Season 2 music CD and is titled “Aubrey’s Prayer”. Anyway, I really enjoyed the whole scene…thanks!!!

    BTW, great call on the saddle shoes...plus I loved the pink cashmere sweater.

    Thanks again for sharing!
    KRH

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  16. Great story. I wish you would post more stories like this... memories of Twin Peaks.

    Thanks,

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  17. Twin Peaks was slightly before my time but being a bit of a pop culture aficionado I got my hands on the DVD of the first season of the series very recently and it's just a joy to watch. A testament to how ahead of the curve it must have been, it doesn't feel dated at all; in fact rather timeless, like it sits in a zeitgeist all of its own. But for all the mysteries and backwards talking, the best thing about it for me is the characters - most notably those of Dale Cooper and Audrey Horne. It's her character in particular, adorably mischievous yet ultimately well intentioned, which commands attention whenever on screen, and I doubt she wouldn't have popped as well without you in the role.
    Thanks for sharing this entry, it was a fun read.

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  18. In the whole series one of the hidden gem was Audrey's character. I loved it. No other series comes to close to Twin Peaks for me.

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  19. Haha avoiding Kyle? MacLachlan? Why is that? Is he creepy?

    I think I remember hearing in an interview on my Peaks DVD that he personally was against taking Agent Cooper and Audrey in a romantic direction.

    And yes, David Lynch is truly an inspiration. I've never met the man, but anyone who is involved in art would find it difficult not to be mesmerized by the passion he seems to have for every detail of his work. It's cool that you got to work with him, to say the least.

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  20. "He even sees the beauty in what most call darkness. But dark is just another form of light after all."
    This is perfect! I have often tried explaining why I enjoy DKL's work, and have struggled.. it's sort of like trying to explain why I enjoy heavy metal. "That music is so angry, why does it make you smile?"

    DKL shows us a lot through his work, it's not anything goofy like a silver lining, but rather - it's the whole spectrum of darkness where we appreciate the streaks of grey and silver.

    A girl has been murdered, but we see just how much she was loved. Another girl disrupts a meeting with Norwegians - simply because she wants the love of her father. And there's more but this is a blog comment and I'm just excited to quote you the next time someone asks :)

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  21. so strange! i had this conversation with my son YESTERDAY, about the work of Dl being dark...but also filled with light!
    anyway, i really enjoy your blog!!!!! It takes a lot of courage to be so open and honest.

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  22. I recently went on my first trip to the USA from Australia and somehow, managed to wrangle a trip to Snoqualmie, amongst our busy schedule. I had re-watched all of Twin Peaks before I left to get "in the mood". It was magic, I could see how David had selected it as the place to film the show. My partner was a bit lost as I rushed from place to place going AND THIS IS WHERE THIS THE MURDER WAS AND THIS IS THE CORNER WHERE LAURA JUMPED OFF THE BIKE. A lovely fellow that runs a Twin Peaks website even had the spot where the scene with your shoes was filmed, located on his website. Amazing.......
    In LA I took a trip down Mullholland Drive just for fun and in the middle of the road sat a giant owl, it wouldn't move it just sat there staring at me in the darkness and I shivered thinking of every DL film I've ever seen. I really like your blog, thank you!

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  23. I named my band after your character. We're called "i <3 audrey" (surprisingly enough).

    Really, outstanding work though. Audrey Horne really was a main highlight of twin peaks for me.

    Just felt I should thank you.

    THANK YOU!!!!

    x

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  24. I always make a point of doing your Audrey dance in really inappropriate places (raves, weddings etc). Such fun!!!

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  25. I love Twin Peaks! David Lynch is not a director, he is the Magician! And I admire your Audrey very much! Your duo with Kyle is my favourite in this film.
    Thank you, Sherilyn!

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  26. Wow, that's an amazing blog entry. I just loved reading about behind the scenes stuff. I've just finished Twin Peaks season 1 & loved it. The dream like emotions, mixed with surreal moments & elegant visuals. It all just comes together & is truly amazing.
    I've just read over most of your recent blog entries too & have to say I love your openness & honesty...it's undeniably inspiring & uplifting.
    Thanks Sherilyn for all your postings & for you all your work. I look forward to reading more.
    Take Care. xox

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  27. It was fun to read this. I just started watching it over - and I love it even more. I still have to hide behind a pillow when Killer BoB apperars in the screen. And the Norwegians are so funny. beeing from Norway myself - i am really enjoing it. And I have also mangaged to do this. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKU566Ymay0
    Have an nice one!

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  28. Dear Sherilyn,
    I was just 12 years old when Twin Peaks came on the air and I saw you for the first time. Like many 12-year-old girls, I was fascinated by womanhood--probably because it was something I was on the threshold of, but felt like I would never actually reach. In my eyes, you were the epitome of perfect womanhood. I simply thought you were so beautiful (and still do!). I just adored you, and wanted to look/be just like you. I even had my mom buy me saddle oxfords a la Audrey Horne. It wasn't just your physical shell that made an impression on me; being sensitive by nature, I think I responded to your vulnerability and your heart, which cannot help but shine through your exterior. I just want to let you know how fun it is for someone like me to read your recollections of your Twin Peaks days and other experiences. I'm glad to know you're thriving and exploring life, and sharing your discoveries. I'm a writer, and I have a little blog too. One of the essays I posted on it, almost a year ago, is partly about discovering Twin Peaks and you, and hoping to grow up to be as lovely... Please read it if you have a chance and tell me what you think. The blog is called Perfume Diarist and the essay is called "The Scent of Prey." You can reach it by pasting this into your browser: http://perfumediarist.wordpress.com/2009/11/25/the-scent-of-prey-%E2%80%94-tresor/

    Keep writing! Much love, n.

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