The ‘Euphoria’ role that Kyle MacLachlan regrets turning down
Kyle MacLachlan‘s career is dotted with some of the most iconic characters of all time, becoming a regular in the wonderfully weird world of David Lynch as well as guest roles in cult classic shows such as Sex and the City and How I Met Your Mother. Whether it be the eternal optimism of Agent Cooper in Twin Peaks, the unbridled curiosity of Jeffrey in Blue Velvet or his charming voice acting in the Pixar universe, starring in the singularly influential Inside Out series, the actor is inseparable from the iconicity of the characters he has played and their role in popular culture.
His career trajectory is not without its surprises, with unexpected projects like Ron Howard, Paul Verhoeven, and Charli XCX forming a unique presence on the internet through his eternal sense of playfulness and infectious humour. However, while there is no denying the impact of his presence in Hollywood, becoming an unexpected star after the poor reception of Dune, the actor has had equal success in the world of television, despite expressing regret over not starring in one modern series that is seen as one of the crowning glories of HBO.
Sam Levinson has had a rocky career trajectory in recent years despite the fact that he seemed off to a great start when the hit TV show Euphoria exploded onto the scene. The show follows the lives of a group of teenagers in high school, charting the complexity of their experiences and individual traumas as they struggle with drug addiction, abusive relationships, and strained parental relationships.
The show has been praised by the likes of Gaspar Noé for its innovative visual style and explicit content, carving out a new era for HBO through its gritty portrayal of modern teenagers and the challenges facing the young people in this very tumultuous town.
However, while it sparked a new approach to television through daring one-take shots, a moody colour palette and shoe gaze-esque approach to portraying adolescence in small-town America, it is perhaps most revered for sparking the dramatic careers of actors like Zendaya and Jacob Elordi, with the former reaching critical acclaim for her performance as Rue, a teenager suffering from drug addiction.
But perhaps the show would have been very different if one key role had been played by someone else. Kyle MacLachlan revealed on a Reddit forum that he was in the running to play Cal Jacobs, the father of Nate Jacobs, who is played by Eric Dane.
The casting of the show is genius, and while I cannot imagine anyone other than Dane in the part, playing a closeted gay man who lives a double life outside of his crumbling family, the idea of MacLachlan starring in the show is a funny thought given how popular he already is amongst people of younger generations. This is especially interesting given the innocence of the characters he is renowned for, with the prospect of playing Cal Jacobs being a stark contrast in his filmography, and perhaps one that would allow him to express a level of darkness we haven’t seen from him before.
