There have been a few cult classic TV series with the continuous allure ofTwin Peaks. The 1990 series was co-created by filmmakerDavid Lynchand writerMark Frostand chronicled the mysterious goings-on of a small Pacific Northwest town of the same name after high-schooler Laura Palmer’s (Sheryl Lee) untimely demise. The surreal atmosphere of the setting and story isonly as good as the eclectic castthat helps bring it to life, though - some of whom can also be easily recognized in other popular TV shows.Kyle Maclachlan, for instance, plays Agent Dale Cooper and can also be seen inDesperate Housewives,Portlandia, and, more recently,Fallout. Then there’sMädchen Amick, who portrays waitress Shelly Johnson and also appears in the largelyTwin Peaks-inspiredRiverdaleas Alice Cooper. But perhaps the most fascinating of them all isSherilyn Fenn, who not only appears in series such asShamelessandRay Donovanbut also portrays two characters in one inGilmore Girls.
Who Does Sherilyn Fenn Play in ‘Twin Peaks’?
As mentioned,Twin Peakshas quite the cast, even though it’s set ina small town where everything is a stone’s throw away. We meet many of the characters through their connections with Laura Palmer, whether they were family, friends, or, in the case of Sherilyn Fenn’s character, simply a classmate. As for who precisely that character is, Fenn plays Audrey Horne, who attended Twin Peaks High School with Laura, although the two weren’t friends.Her father is Benjamin Horne (Richard Beymer), another notable character who owns the Great Northern Hotel and the humbly named Horne’s Department Store.Then there’s also Audrey’s brother, Johnny Horne (Robert Davenportin the pilot, then recast withRobert Bauer), who Laura previously tutored before her death.
Overall, Fenn appeared as Audrey Horne in all 30 episodes of the original series, which ran for two seasons from 1990-1991. While she didn’t return for the 1992 prequel filmTwin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, she did come back for the series revival in 2017,Twin Peaks: The Return— although for only four of its 18 episodes.Fenn almost appeared in anotherTwin Peaksproject though, as David Lynch had an idea for a spin-off film while shooting the original series.This movie would’ve focused on Audreyleaving behind small-town life to head to Los Angeles. If this sounds at all reminiscent of another Lynch project, that’s because it eventually turned intoMulholland Drive.The critically acclaimed film was born from a TV pilot that didn’t go anywhere. However, it was ultimately built into its own project, not related toTwin Peaks, and starringNaomi Wattsrather than Fenn.
What Does “Lynchian” Mean Anyways?
It’s easy to feel yet hard to nail down a true definition, but that’s fitting for Lynch.
Who Does Sherilyn Fenn Play in ‘Gilmore Girls’?
Nearly a decade afterTwin Peakspremiered, another famous network drama set in a small town began — althoughthe tone of this series couldn’t be any different.Gilmore Girlspremiered in October 2000 on The WB (later, The CW) and aired for seven seasons. The comedy-drama follows mother and daughter Lorelai (Lauren Graham) and Rory Gilmore (Alexis Bledel), respectively, as they navigate the turbulence of work, school, and demanding family members in the fictional Connecticut town of Stars Hollow. Amidst the chaos of their daily lives, they somehow always find time to pursue romantic relationships, for better or worse. For Lorelai, that means diner owner Luke Danes (Scott Patterson), among several iffier choices; For Rory, that meansher three infamous boyfriends, Dean Forester (Jared Padalecki), Jess Mariano (Milo Ventimiglia), and Logan Huntzberger (Matt Czuchry).
So, where does Sherilyn Fenn fit into all of this? At the end of Season 3, Jess, who had been staying with Luke, his uncle, is suddenly visited by his dad, Jimmy Mariano (Rob Estes). It’s quite unexpected, as Jimmy had been absent from Jess' life since he was a baby, leaving his ex-wife Liz Danes (Kathleen Wilhoite) to raise him. But he ends up cutting his surprise visit short, departing Stars Hollow just as quickly as he arrived, with only a sorry excuse of a conversation with his son to show for it. Jess, at a crossroads in his life, ends up spontaneously following suit, tracking his dad down to the sunny beaches of Venice, California. Season 3, Episode 21, “Here Comes the Son,” sees him finally properly reconnecting with his dad while meeting a particularly quirky character along the way in the form of Jimmy’s girlfriend, Sasha. Played by Fenn,Sasha is a uniquely upbeat individualwho resides in a well-lived-in house where she raises several dogs. She also has a young daughter named Lily, who loves books, just like Jess. Unfortunately, we don’t know much more about Sasha, but we almost did, as"Here Comes the Son" was a backdoor pilotfor a Jess-focused spin-off series calledWindward Circle. In the end, The WB opted not to move forward with the project.
While it’d be an easy assumption that’s the last we’d see of Sherilyn Fenn inGilmore Girls, it’d actually be an incorrect one. She returns once again for four episodes in Season 6 and in an all-new role. After Luke is shocked to learn he has a daughter named April Nardini (Vanessa Marano), he reunites with his mother Anna, his ex-girlfriend, who is played by Fenn. While at first cautiously supportive of Luke’s involvement in her daughter’s life, Anna ends up taking a bit of a turn and becoming antagonistic against him, as she tries to move across the country with April. This left-field pivot happens in the seventh and final season, which coincides with creatorAmy Sherman-Palladinoparting ways with the series… so it’s not hard to do the math on what happened there. Fenn didn’t return as Anna for the Netflix OriginalGilmore Girls: A Year in the Life, although this isn’t surprising, as her role was a small recurring one — and April wasn’t a kid anymore in the revival.
While Sherilyn Fenn’s time may have been cut short twice onGilmore Girls, that’s once more than most actors have a chance at in a series — and she certainly made the most of her time on it. BetweenTwin PeaksandGilmore Girls, she’s proven herself a phenomenal actor who leaves a lasting impression in her roles, whether it’s the flirting nature of Audrey Horne, the bubbly personality of Sasha, or the maternal instinct of Anna Nardini. Fenn has put in a wide range of fantastic work, and it remains evident that any series that features her is worthy of a watch.
Gilmore Girlsis currently available to stream on Netflix in the U.S.
Gilmore Girls
