Speculation re: Eric, Lara and Michael?

[Dammit Shelly]

Hey, this is my first post, I hope I'm not overstepping any guidelines or anything. I'm just curious if anybody has any speculation as to why Eric DeRae, Lara Flynn Boyle or Michael Ontkean aren't returning?

I believe Michael originally was enthusiastic and onboard, but his role has since been given to Robert Forster.

And Eric DeRae seems to have fallen off the face of the Earth. I loved the Leo character, I thought it was a waste that he was an invalid for the majority of season two. I sometimes wondered if it was due to a personality conflict and was a punishment of sorts. Again, pure speculation.

And hadn't Lara Flynn Boyle recently expressed interest in returning? I'm not sure, but I think I may have seen something to that effect a few years back.

So excited to see those Entertainment Weekly covers!

[Mr. Reindeer]

Hopefully not spoilery:

per Brad and others, Ontkean was unable to participate due to personal issues of an undisclosed nature.

Eric da Rae is the son of casting director Johanna Ray. Presumably, if he wished to participate and L&F had found a place for him in the script, he would be on the cast list. Obviously, one or both of those things didn't happen.

As far as I know, LFB has refused to even talk about TP since the early '90s. DKL once said it would be easier to get the Pope on the phone. While I am by no means an insider, I doubt they even seriously contemplated casting her in the new series.

[claaa7]

Michael Ontkean was really suprising..

Eric Da Re has stayed out of the spotlight for years now, not doing any acting or interviews, including speaking about Twin Peaks for DVD material, books, etc.

Lara Flynn Boyle's career has really gone downhill too and all her operations have made her look like a completely different person. it's a shame such a beautiful girl... and as mentioned above she has appparantly been hard to reach before and hasn't done interviews on Twin Peaks.

But Moira Kelly isn't in the revival either right?

[LonelySoul]

As far as I know, LFB has refused to even talk about TP since the early '90s. DKL once said it would be easier to get the Pope on the phone. While I am by no means an insider, I doubt they even seriously contemplated casting her in the new series.

She might have been silent for a long time, but she did do an interview recently that discussed the show: https://vimeo.com/182329395

[the woods]

ha! great user name, dammit shelley.

[Mistertom]

As far as I know, LFB has refused to even talk about TP since the early '90s. DKL once said it would be easier to get the Pope on the phone. While I am by no means an insider, I doubt they even seriously contemplated casting her in the new series.

She might have been silent for a long time, but she did do an interview recently that discussed the show: https://vimeo.com/182329395

Oh wow thank you for that link ! I have been so curious about her ... I was a big fan and I think she is tremendously talented. Something just went wrong at some point.. she does not seem well she actually seems extremely depressed and sick. I'm not sure if it's alcohol or drugs or a combination but she seemed drunk to me. The plastic surgery could have something to do with it of course , but she doesn't even sound like herself anymore it's a shame . I never expected her to return for the show from the beginning because I knew what she looked like , having seen what she sounds like has all but confirmed it for me. Total bummer ..

[Dalai Cooper]

Ontkean and Da Re are retired as hell. Sherilyn Fenn seems to think LFB was asked and declined but who knows - I'm sure we'll find out more at some stage once it's revealed whether Donna is in the new series. As others have said, things have seemed tense on both sides for a while so it wouldn't be surprising if they didn't invite her back or if they did and she said no.

The lack of Laurie and Chen is far more of a mystery than any of these imo, both actresses seemed up for it

[Dammit Shelly]

ha! great user name, dammit shelley.

LOL thanks. "New shoes" was taken, so...

[Agent Sam Stanley]

The lack of Laurie and Chen is far more of a mystery than any of these imo, both actresses seemed up for it

I remember a rumor that Laurie declined the offer to come back because she thought the size of the role was ridiculously small. Then some time later she did an interview where she said she was up to return but was never asked. In the same article of that interview there was a quote from one of Chen's representatives saying Lynch contacted her but said they just couldn't fit Josie in the new storyline. As for the validity of all this I can't say.

[Agent Sam Stanley]

As far as I know, LFB has refused to even talk about TP since the early '90s. DKL once said it would be easier to get the Pope on the phone. While I am by no means an insider, I doubt they even seriously contemplated casting her in the new series.

I don't remember that "Pope" quote from Lynch, but I believe LFB entered TP relatively unknown to the general public but left as a celebrity. She was probably very busy at the time of FWWM getting all kinds of offers and we all know how TP was treated by the media and critics during that time, so she was probably advised to move to different things. I don't take the fact that Lynch couldn't reach her as something personal against him or TP in general.

Lynch said that they wrote the new script without thinking about actors availability and just hoped for the best. According to what I heard, Lara was offered a role but declined because the paycheck wasn't interesting enough. Can't confirm the validity of this tho.

[Dalai Cooper]

The lack of Laurie and Chen is far more of a mystery than any of these imo, both actresses seemed up for it

I remember a rumor that Laurie declined the offer to come back because she thought the size of the role was ridiculously small. Then some time later she did an interview where she said she was up to return but was never asked. In the same article of that interview there was a quote from one of Chen's representatives saying Lynch contacted her but said they just couldn't fit Josie in the new storyline. As for the validity of all this I can't say.

Yeah, that article was what I was thinking of - I mean to say I find it mystifying that they couldn't find room for Catherine or Josie, far more mystifying than that ontkean changed his mind or whatever

[Dalai Cooper]

Laurie speculated in that interview that it may have been that her character was a part of the lighter, more parodic side of the show and they weren't going for that as much with the new stuff, but I don't buy that given some of the people who were asked back.

[John Justice Wheeler]

The lack of Laurie and Chen is far more of a mystery than any of these imo, both actresses seemed up for it

The lack of Heather Graham would seem most mystifying of all (but one can expect that at least to be addressed).

[Panapaok]

Hopefully Brad will write another book and delve into all these casting issues.

[Jerry Horne]

Hopefully Brad will write another book and delve into all these casting issues.

He's gonna have to dig deep.