It was always the plan to bring Kyle MacLachlan back to The Lowdown in season 2. Series creator Sterlin Harjo just needed to find an entry point that made sense.
MacLachlan’s character, Donald Washberg, had a complete arc in season 1. Seeking to block Ethan Hawke’s Lee Raybon Jr. as he tried to make sense of the Washberg family’s secrets, the aspiring governor of Oklahoma proved a powerful impediment. The two became uneasy allies when Lee presented an opportunity for Donald to honor his late brother’s wishes, screw over some Nazis, and return a large piece of land to the Osage Nation.
That arrangement benefited many people, including Lee, though it clearly made him question whether he sold out his principles for the greater good. As it turns out, he also got a get-out-of-jail-free card from the deal. When Lee gets in trouble for his previous tussle with a sheriff’s deputy in season 2, now-Governor Donald Washberg steps into the uncharacteristic role of Lee’s savior.
Donald’s glum disposition upon rescuing someone who was once a thorn in his paw reveals this isn’t exactly a happy reunion. His annoyance only grows when Lee follows his frenemy around on a tour of the property of the ultra-performative Judge Sallsman (John Hawkes), whom Donald and Lee are both suspicious of.
“I think it’s funny when you’re with someone who you recognize that you’re similar to, but you hate the qualities that are in them, and you see yourself in them,” MacLachlan tells Den of Geek about Donald’s read on the judge. “I think Donald doesn’t like that the judge is such a blowhard. Donald is also a blowhard, but there’s something about the way the judge does it that really just rankles Donald.”
While Donald has every reason to be careful around Lee, he also knows that he has a penchant for sniffing out a story. The men aren’t in direct cahoots, but you can sense that Donald’s eyes are wide open as Lee lures the judge into continuing to show off his fiefdom.
“Donald recognizes that the judge is up to no good and has gotten to a place of success that doesn’t make sense considering his position,” says MacLachlan. “He just doesn’t want to open that can of worms. He doesn’t want to look deeper in there. And Lee, of course, forces him to have to take a look.”
Watching MacLachlan’s character get antagonized by Lee’s inquisitive nature is one of the joys of a reunion that could reoccur down the road. It’s also another pairing of actors with a long pre-Lowdown history of working together and knowing each other. That bond shows in how much more relaxed MacLachlan is going into a scene with Hawke, and in the similar ways they work. “We’re looking at the scene as a whole and kind of both approaching it, not as directors necessarily, but as kind of storytellers,” MacLachlan says.
The return to The Lowdown is the most recent credit for MacLachlan, who just published his memoir, Fictional Selves. In the book, the actor explores his voluminous career, including the influential projects he’s done and the people he’s worked with.
Early in the book, MacLachlan relives the adventure of his first film: David Lynch’s attempt to turn Frank Herbert’s Dune into a Star Wars-like franchise, well before Denis Villeneuve got the chance. MacLachlan played Paul Atreides in that film and had the chance to work with and befriend the recently passed Sir Patrick Stewart. MacLachlan talks warmly about working with the legendary actor in the book, so I asked what stories come to mind in light of last week’s sad news.
“I just always start with the voice. You know, his voice was so impactful. It was such a pleasure to be standing next to him when he would kind of let out that Shakespearean projection that he could do,” says MacLachlan, who does a pretty great Stewart impression (among others) in the audiobook. “He also just had a warmth to him and a big heart that would come through. He could appear to be quite stern, but you realize that he’s incredibly playful and fun.”
MacLachlan recalls a story from one of their breaks in filming that paints a vivid mental image of Stewart boot shopping at a factory outlet store in mid-1980s El Paso. “You haven’t lived until you’ve seen Patrick Stewart walking around in cowboy boots — this Englishman from Yorkshire. That was worth the price of admission.”
While the book offers a lot for nostalgiaists and fans of MacLachlan’s work, writing it also gave him a chance to be kind to himself about the choices he made across a 40-year career. One he was admittedly naive about when he took his first role.
“I think it’s nice to see that there was a growth,” he says contentedly, before adding to the assessment of how a green 23-year-old on his first set with Dune turned into a respected screen presence. “I’ve gotten more relaxed with things. I’m more comfortable speaking up, presenting a point of view for the character, and less concerned about perception,” he says, offering a useful batch of goals for any career.
New episodes of The Lowdown season 2 premiere Wednesdays at 9 p.m. ET on FX and the next day on Hulu.
The post Kyle MacLachlan Talks The Lowdown Return, His New Book, And Shopping With Patrick Stewart appeared first on Den of Geek.