Kyle MacLachlan Comes Home

     It isn’t every day you get to interview someone who fits the description of world famous actor and Eisenhower alumni, but it seems that Kyle MacLachlan fits just that description.

     Fellow Eisenhower students, Angie Gonzalez, Annaka Yockey, and Cristy Trujillo, had the opportunity to interview MacLachlan in a private press conference with other reporters from across the valley in the Robertson Room at the Capitol Theater. Receiving an enclosed document detailing how his childhood in Yakima propelled him to his arrival in Hollywood.

     At the start of the press conference, MacLachlan talks about being back in Yakima and how nostalgic it feels. He joked about driving past Gilbert Elementary, where he used to be a patrol boy, and his old Orthodontist’s office. He connected back to his time at Eisenhower, where he got his start in acting by participating in the fall plays and spring musicals throughout high School.

     A mentor, MacLachlan said, who encouraged him to pursue acting was his Choir director and Musical conductor, Gary Baysinger. MacLachlan reflected on performing in musicals such as Oklahoma, Anything Goes, and My Fair Lady. A prominent early childhood experience in Theatre at Ike helped him discover his love for acting.

    Though not all his projects would be hits, some might reflect poorly on his role in Showgirls. He still has had many notable performances that he said perfectly summed up his artistic career.

     He loved working with David Lynch on his star performance in the hit series Twin Peaks, as well as in the films Blue Velvet and Dune. He loved his role in The Flintstones as Cliff Vandercave so much, he said he took home his iconic costume and is now sitting in his closet. He can currently be seen on FX’s The Lowdown.

     At the end of the press conference, the three Ike reporters, Angie Gonzalez, Annaka Yockey, and Cristy Trujillo, had the opportunity to sit down with MacLachlan one-on-one and present him with some souvenirs. One of the journalists presented Ike with a Somos IKE t-shirt. The second memorandum was MacLachlan’s 1977 yearbook from his senior year. As he flipped through the yearbook, he would stop to discuss memories from his high School years in theater and as a student.

     We were able to get his signature on his Senior portrait for the yearbook. This marked a great ending point to MacLachlan’s return home. Great to see a person who once walked the halls of Eisenhower now on the big screen.