Laura Palmer is a fictional character in the
''Twin Peaks'' franchise. She is portrayed by
Sheryl Lee and was created by the series creators
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch (born January 20, 1946) is an American filmmaker, visual artist and actor. A recipient of an Academy Honorary Award in 2019, Lynch has received three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, and the César Award for Be ...
and
Mark Frost. She first appears in the
ABC original series ''
Twin Peaks
''Twin Peaks'' is an American mystery serial drama television series created by Mark Frost and David Lynch. It premiered on ABC on April 8, 1990, and originally ran for two seasons until its cancellation in 1991. The show returned in 2017 fo ...
''. A high school student whose death is the
catalyst
Catalysis () is the process of increasing the rate of a chemical reaction by adding a substance known as a catalyst (). Catalysts are not consumed in the reaction and remain unchanged after it. If the reaction is rapid and the catalyst recyc ...
for the events of the series, Palmer is the
protagonist
A protagonist () is the main character of a story. The protagonist makes key decisions that affect the plot, primarily influencing the story and propelling it forward, and is often the character who faces the most significant obstacles. If a st ...
in Lynch's
prequel
A prequel is a literary, dramatic or cinematic work whose story precedes that of a previous work, by focusing on events that occur before the original narrative. A prequel is a work that forms part of a backstory to the preceding work.
The term ...
film ''
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me'' (1992), which depicts the final week of her life leading up to her murder. Laura also appears in the
novels
A novel is a relatively long work of narrative fiction, typically written in prose and published as a book. The present English word for a long work of prose fiction derives from the for "new", "news", or "short story of something new", itsel ...
, ''
Twin Peaks: The Return'' (2017), and a variety of merchandise based on the series.
Appearances
In television
Laura (played by Sheryl Lee, who also played her cousin
Maddy Ferguson), was well known and loved in Twin Peaks; she volunteered at
Meals on Wheels, was her school's
Homecoming Queen, and was (apparently) the darling of her parents,
Sarah
Sarah (born Sarai) is a biblical matriarch and prophetess, a major figure in Abrahamic religions. While different Abrahamic faiths portray her differently, Judaism, Christianity, and Islam all depict her character similarly, as that of a pio ...
(
Grace Zabriskie) and
Leland (
Ray Wise). However, the series gradually revealed that Laura led a double life: she was a
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...
addict, a victim of
child sexual abuse
Child sexual abuse (CSA), also called child molestation, is a form of child abuse in which an adult or older adolescent uses a child for sexual stimulation. Forms of child sexual abuse include engaging in sexual activities with a child (whet ...
, a fetish model and, briefly, a sex worker at
One Eyed Jacks, a
casino
A casino is a facility for certain types of gambling. Casinos are often built near or combined with hotels, resorts, restaurants, retail shopping, cruise ships, and other tourist attractions. Some casinos are also known for hosting live enterta ...
/
brothel
A brothel, bordello, ranch, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in sexual activity with prostitutes. However, for legal or cultural reasons, establishments often describe themselves as massage parlors, bars, strip clubs, body rub p ...
just north of the
Canada–US border. Officially involved with
Bobby Briggs (
Dana Ashbrook), the high school football team captain, she was also engaged in a secret relationship with
James Hurley (
James Marshall). She also had sexual encounters with other Twin Peaks citizens, such as businessman
Ben Horne (
Richard Beymer) and trucker/drug dealer
Leo Johnson (
Eric Da Re).
The discovery of Laura's body in the
pilot episode
A television pilot (also known as a pilot or a pilot episode and sometimes marketed as a tele-movie), in United States television, is a standalone episode of a television series that is used to sell a show to a television network or other dist ...
of ''Twin Peaks'' brings
Special Agent Dale Cooper (
Kyle MacLachlan) to investigate her death. Her murder and its effect on those around her propel the first season and the first eight episodes of the second season. Laura remains a prominent character afterward, as her death exposes many secrets related to her, and also, in some cases, unrelated, such as the Packard mill conspiracy. Laura also appears in Cooper's dreams, offering cryptic clues as to the identity of her killer.
Laura's first diary is uncovered in the
first episode, but her 2nd secret diary is not recovered until later. The secret diary contains passages suggesting that she had been sexually abused by a malevolent entity named
BOB (
Frank Silva
Frank A. Silva (October 31, 1950 – September 13, 1995) was an American set dresser and actor best known for his performance as the evil spirit Killer BOB in the TV series '' Twin Peaks''.
Silva had a degree in lighting design from San Fran ...
) since she was a child. In her diary she referred to BOB as a friend of her father's.
In the prequel/sequel ''Fire Walk With Me'', Laura's spirit makes the transition to the afterlife when an angel appears to her, showing that her nightmare was finally over.
During the second season, the identity of her murderer was revealed: her father, Leland, who had
sexually abused her for years while being
possessed by BOB. Before his death in police custody, Leland tells Cooper and the others that he had not been aware of his own actions during the times BOB possessed him. As Leland dies, Laura appears before him in a vision, and it is implied that she forgives him and welcomes him to the
afterlife.
Laura appears inside the
Black Lodge during the
series finale
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...
, as both herself and an evil
doppelgänger
A doppelgänger (), a compound noun formed by combining the two nouns (double) and (walker or goer) (), doppelgaenger or doppelganger is a biologically unrelated look-alike, or a double, of a living person.
In fiction and mythology, a doppel ...
version.
''The Return''
Sheryl Lee reprised her role as Laura in ''
Twin Peaks: The Return''. In "
Part 2 Part Two, Part 2 or Part II may refer to:
Films and television
* "Part 2" (Twin Peaks), also known as "The Return, Part 2", the second episode of the third season of the TV series ''Twin Peaks''
Music
* ''Part Two'' (Throbbing Gristle album), 200 ...
", Laura Palmer removes her face to reveal a mysterious white light emanating from within her body. She is shortly whisked away by an unseen force. In "
Part 8", a glowing orb containing Laura's portrait is sent to Earth in 1945 by Senorita Dido, shortly after the creation of BOB during the
testing of the first nuclear bomb.
In
Part 17, Agent Cooper is sent back in time by
Special Agent Phillip Jeffries and saves Laura on the night of her murder; the opening scenes of the first season are revisited thereafter, but Laura's iconic plastic-wrapped body is nowhere to be found. Laura herself disappears soon after, vanishing from Cooper's grasp as they stroll through the woods of Twin Peaks.
In the
series finale
A series finale is the final installment of an episodic entertainment series, most often a television series. It may also refer to a final theatrical sequel, the last part of a television miniseries, the last installment of a literary series, or ...
, Cooper discovers that Carrie Page, a middle-aged woman who looks just like Laura Palmer, is living in an alternative reality
Odessa, Texas
Odessa is a city in and the county seat of Ector County, Texas, United States. It is located primarily in Ector County, although a small section of the city extends into Midland County.
Odessa's population was 114,428 at the 2020 census, ma ...
. Though skeptical of Cooper's claims of her past life as Laura, Carrie is eager to flee town, as there is a dead man in her living room with a bullet hole in his head. She accompanies Cooper to Washington state. Once they arrive at the Palmer residence, Carrie does not seem to recognize her supposed former home, and Cooper is shocked to find the "Tremond" family living there, having purchased the home from the previous owners, the Chalfonts. As Cooper begins to question the current year, Sarah Palmer's voice calls out "Laura" from the Palmer residence, and Carrie screams in horror.
In film
Laura is the protagonist of the prequel film ''
Fire Walk With Me
Fire is the rapid oxidation of a material (the fuel) in the exothermic chemical process of combustion, releasing heat, light, and various reaction products.
At a certain point in the combustion reaction, called the ignition point, flames are pr ...
''. The film depicts the last week of her life and the events leading up to her murder.
Laura is the high school homecoming queen and is best friends with
Donna Hayward (
Moira Kelly). Laura is addicted to cocaine and is cheating on her boyfriend, Bobby Briggs, with the biker James Hurley. After Laura realizes pages are missing from her secret diary, she gives the rest of the diary to Harold Smith (
Lenny Von Dohlen), her
agoraphobic friend.
She has a dream about entering the Black Lodge. Cooper and the
Man from Another Place
The Man from Another Place (played by Michael J. Anderson), also known as The Arm, is a character from the television series ''Twin Peaks'', created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. He is an inhabitant of the Black Lodge, a realm of pure evil. He w ...
(
Michael J. Anderson) appear in her dream. The Man from Another Place tells Cooper that he is "the arm" and offers Teresa's ring to Laura, but Cooper tells her not to take it. Laura finds Annie Blackburn (
Heather Graham) next to her in bed, covered in blood. Annie tells Laura to write in her diary that "the good Dale" is trapped in the Lodge and cannot leave. When she wakes up, Laura sees the ring in her hand.
The next evening, Laura goes to the Bang Bang Bar to meet her drug connections and have sex with strangers. Unexpectedly, the normally chaste Donna shows up. They all go to the Pink Room. When she sees a topless Donna making out with a stranger, a distraught Laura takes her home and begs her friend to not become like her. The next morning, Leland drives Laura home. On the way home,
Philip Gerard/MIKE (
Al Strobel), a one-armed man who is also possessed by a demon, pulls up alongside Leland's car and shouts at Leland that "the thread will be torn". He shows Teresa's ring to Laura, but she and Leland become frightened and drive away.
The next night, BOB comes through Laura's window and begins raping her, only to transform into Leland. The next morning she warns Leland to stay away from her. Upset, Laura uses more cocaine and has trouble concentrating at school. When Bobby realizes Laura was only using him to score cocaine, he breaks off their relationship. Subsequently, Laura breaks up with James, then goes to a cabin in the woods to have an orgy with Leo, One-Eyed Jack's poker dealer Jacques Renault (
Walter Olkewicz
Walter Olkewicz (May 14, 1948 – April 6, 2021) was an American character actor. He played Marko in the short-lived TV series ''Wizards and Warriors'' and Coach Wordman in the feature film '' Making the Grade''.
Biography
Olkewicz was born in B ...
), and prostitute Ronette Pulaski (
Phoebe Augustine). Leland has followed her there; he attacks Jacques, leaving him incapacitated. Leo finds Jacques and promptly leaves. Both girls, having been tied up during their trysts with Jacques and Leo, are taken from the cabin by Leland to an abandoned train car. Laura asks Leland if he is going to kill her, but BOB appears and tells Laura he intends to possess her. MIKE has tracked Leland/BOB to the train, but when Ronette tries to let him in, Leland beats her unconscious. MIKE manages to throw in Teresa's ring. Laura puts it on, which prevents BOB from possessing her. Enraged, Leland/BOB stabs Laura to death. Leland/BOB places Laura's body in the lake. As her corpse drifts away, Leland/BOB enters the Red Room, where he encounters MIKE and the Man from Another Place, who announce they want their share of "garmonbozia", a supernatural substance generated by pain and fear.
As Laura's body is found by the Sheriff's department, Cooper comforts her spirit in the Black Lodge.
Laura is the protagonist of the 2014 film, ''Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces'', which features deleted scenes from ''Fire Walk With Me'', pieced together to make a feature-length film.
In literature
''The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer''
''The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer'', written by
Jennifer Lynch (David Lynch's daughter), was published in 1990. The novel portrays Laura falling into a world of prostitution and
cocaine
Cocaine (from , from , ultimately from Quechua: ''kúka'') is a central nervous system (CNS) stimulant mainly used recreationally for its euphoric effects. It is primarily obtained from the leaves of two Coca species native to South Am ...
abuse, while maintaining the ''status quo'' as homecoming queen and high school student. Published during the summer between the original broadcasts of the first and second seasons, the book provided information regarding Laura's veiled personal life, including her knowledge of and/or relationship with BOB.
''Laura's Ghost: Women Speak about Twin Peaks''
''Laura's Ghost'', written by Courtenay Stallings, was published in 2020 and features interviews from Sheryl Lee, Grace Zabriskie, and Jennifer Lynch. The book examines Laura Palmer's character and her influence on pop culture and women's lives.
Other appearances
In merchandise
Funko has released POP! Vinyl and Reaction Figures of Laura wrapped in plastic and a POP! Vinyl of Laura's
Black Lodge counterpart.
In popular culture
*
Jennifer Lynch wrote an official series tie-in, ''
The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer'' (), which was sold from 1990 and was the diary used in the series.
* Finnish
doom metal
Doom metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music that typically uses slower tempos, low-tuned guitars and a much "thicker" or "heavier" sound than other heavy metal genres.K. Kahn-Harris, ''Extreme Metal: Music and Culture on the Edge'' ...
band
Swallow the Sun
Swallow the Sun is a Finnish death-doom band founded in 2000 by Juha Raivio. Their death-doom style emphasizes melody and atmosphere, and occasionally steps into gothic and black metal territory. They have released eight full-length albums, one ...
has a song called "Ghost of Laura Palmer" on their album ''
Ghosts of Loss
''Ghosts of Loss'' is the second studio album by Swallow the Sun, released on August 24, 2005. Compared with their debut, this album has more influences of gothic metal. Some of its themes are greatly influenced by the 1990-91 TV serial ''Twin Pe ...
'', released in 2005.
* Canadian
dance-punk
Dance-punk (also known as disco-punk, punk-funk or techno-punk) is a post-punk subgenre that emerged in the late 1970s, and is closely associated with the disco, post-disco and new wave movements.Rip It Up and Start Again: Post Punk 1978-19 ...
band
You Say Party released a single in 2010 titled "Laura Palmer's Prom" on the album ''
XXXX''. Th
music video released in 2011, is an homage to ''Twin Peaks'', with band members appearing as various characters from the series. The video's narrative traces the events leading up to Laura Palmer's murder.
* In 2010, Floridian
black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, a shrieking vocal style, heavily distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, raw ( lo-fi) recording, unconventional song structures, and an em ...
band Benighted in Sodom released a 17-minute
EP entitled ''Laura Palmer''.
* UK
indie pop
Indie pop (also typeset as indie-pop or indiepop) is a music genre and subculture that combines guitar pop with DIY ethic in opposition to the style and tone of mainstream pop music. It originated from British post-punk in the late 1970s and su ...
band
Bastille released a song called "
Laura Palmer" on their debut album.
* Finnish collaborative band
Kerkko Koskinen Kollektiivi
Kerkko Klemetti Koskinen (born 7 January 1973)Kuka kukin on 2007, Otava 2006 is a Finnish musician. Koskinen was the founding member and lead figure of the retired band Ultra Bra. He composed nearly all of Ultra Bra's songs and was the band's ...
has a song called 'Laura Palmer' on their debut album, released in 2012.
* The
Amanda Palmer album "
Who Killed Amanda Palmer" is an allusion to the series and the character.
*
The Decadence of Laura Palmer song by Californian band
The Gitas
*
Skycamefalling wrote a song called "Laura Palmer" for the album ''
10.21''.
* Russian band
Splean mentions Laura Palmer in their song Beryllium off their 2004 album, Reversed Chronicle of Events.
* Serbian band
Teatar mentions Laura Palmer in their song Ne ja... (Not me).
* Polish rapper
Kartky mentions Laura Palmer in his song "Laura Palmer" which was released in 2018. Track appears on his album ''
Blackout''.
* South African music group COSMIC FIEND released a demo titled ‘Laura Palmer Scream’ on October 27, 2021
Development
Conception
Laura's murder was possibly inspired by the unsolved death of Hazel Irene Drew (1888-1908), who was found dead in Teal's Pond in
Sand Lake, New York and the story of which Mark Frost was told by his grandmother Betty Calhoun. This story is told in David Bushman and Mark T. Givens' ''Murder at Teal's Pond: Hazel Drew and the Mystery That Inspired Twin Peaks'' (2022) which includes an introduction by Frost explaining the connection.
Casting
Due to budget constraints, Lynch intended to cast a local girl from
Seattle
Seattle ( ) is a port, seaport city on the West Coast of the United States. It is the county seat, seat of King County, Washington, King County, Washington (state), Washington. With a 2020 population of 737,015, it is the largest city in bo ...
, reportedly "just to play a dead girl". The local girl ended up being Sheryl Lee. Lynch stated "But no one—not Mark, me, anyone—had any idea that she could act, or that she was going to be so powerful just being dead." And then, while Lynch shot the home movie that James takes of Donna and Laura, he realized that Lee had something special. "She did do another scene—the video with Donna on the picnic—and it was that scene that did it." As a result, Sheryl Lee became a semi-regular addition to the cast, appearing in
flashbacks as Laura, as well as Laura's cousin,
Maddy Ferguson.
References
External links
Laura Palmer ''Twin Peaks'' card
{{DEFAULTSORT:Palmer, Laura
Twin Peaks characters
Fictional diarists
Fictional cocaine users
Television characters introduced in 1990
Fictional child prostitutes
Teenage characters in film
Fictional characters involved in incest
American female characters in television
Fictional victims of child sexual abuse
Fictional victims of sexual assault
Fictional murdered people
Female characters in television