Boyle was born inDavenport,Iowa, the daughter of Sally Flynn, a clerical worker, assistant, and manager, and Michael L. Boyle.[1][2] Her paternal grandfather was U.S. RepresentativeCharles A. Boyle.[3] She has Irish, German, and Italian ancestry.[4] She is named after a character inBoris Pasternak's novelDoctor Zhivago. Her father left when she was six, causing her and her mother to move to smaller quarters. Around this time, she was diagnosed withdyslexia.[5] She was raised inChicago,Illinois, andWisconsin, and graduated fromThe Chicago Academy for the Arts.[6]
In 1986, Boyle landed a small part inJohn Hughes's teen comedy filmFerris Bueller's Day Off, which earned her aSAG card, though her scenes were deleted from the final cut of the film. Subsequently, Boyle had a supporting role as Jackie Bradford in the television miniseriesAmerika (1987), followed by guest appearances on episodes of the seriesJack and Mike (1987) andSable (1987).
After a string of supporting roles, Boyle landed a lead role in theGary Sherman horror filmPoltergeist III (1988), which was distributed by the media companyMGM. Although she was cast as Ginny Danburry inPeter Weir's drama filmDead Poets Society (1989), her scenes were ultimately deleted from the final cut.[7]
Twin Peaks gave me everything I have as an actor. It put me where I am now because it was so beautifully soulful, and I think it just brought out the best of the actors. There was no acting going on – we were living on Twin Peaks. It gave me my career.
—Boyle discussing the impactTwin Peaks had on her career.[8]
In 1989, Boyle rose to international prominence whenDavid Lynch cast her asDonna Hayward in thetelevision seriesTwin Peaks (1990–1991). The series focused on the murder of the high schoolHomecoming QueenLaura Palmer, with Boyle portraying Laura's best friend. Her main storyline focused on her trying to solve the mystery of who killed Laura.
The series premiered April 8, 1990, onABC and subsequently became one of thetop-rated series of 1990, but a decline in ratings ultimately led to its cancellation after its second season in 1991.[9][10][11][12] Boyle appeared in all 30 episodes.
When discussing Lynch's direction, Boyle stated, "I remember, inthe pilot, I did a very long scene that we had to shoot 30 or 40 times. David came up to me and said quietly, in my ear: 'Think of how gently a deer has to move in the snow…' It was strange direction. But that's what I thought of, and it worked. We were at the helm of a piece of heaven on Twin Peaks and we just went where David Lynch told us. That might sound very obscure but it really is true. How he sees the world is how we should all see the world."[8]
She starred onThe Practice until 2003, when, in a dramatic attempt to revamp the show and cut costs, she was dismissed along with most of the cast.[15] For her performance as Helen Gamble, she received anEmmy nomination as well as severalScreen Actors Guild ensemble cast nominations. Boyle also made a crossover appearance in the role of Helen Gamble in an episode ofAlly McBeal, and an uncredited guest appearance on the same show in its final season.[16]
In 2002, Boyle played a lead role in the blockbuster feature filmMen in Black II, as the villainous shapeshiftingalien Serleena. She also guest-starred on one of the last episodes ofAlly McBeal, this time as Tally Cupp, and had a recurring role on several episodes ofHuff.[17]
In 2005, Boyle joined the cast ofLas Vegas for a seven-episode stint asMonica Mancuso, a new hotel owner. She playedBarbara Amiel in the television filmShades of Black, about Amiel and her husband,Lord Black. Boyle also guest-starred as an ambitious reporter involved with the suspects in a possible murder in theLaw & Order 2008 episode "Submission".[18]
Boyle andKyle MacLachlan at the Governor's Ball held immediately after the 1990 Emmy Awards
In 2009, Boyle portrayed Mary inBaby on Board. The same year, Boyle was cast as Betty McBain in the independent filmLife Is Hot in Cracktown.[19] In 2010, she starred as Kathy inCougar Hunting. In 2013, Boyle portrayed Witch Agnes in the horror comedy filmHansel & Gretel Get Baked. In 2015, she portrayed Ms. Donley in the filmLucky Dog.
In 2020, after a five-year break, she returned to acting to star as Grace in the filmDeath in Texas alongsideStephen Lang.[20]
Boyle was in a relationship withTwin Peaks co-starKyle MacLachlan from 1990 to 1992. Boyle has been married twice. Her first husband was John Patrick Dee III, whom she married on August 11, 1996, and divorced two years later.[21] Boyle dated actorDavid Spade, and later datedJack Nicholson after he asked Boyle out in front of Spade while they were smokingmarijuana. Spade later found out they were together after Nicholson and Boyle were involved in a car crash, covered bypaparazzi.[22] They went public with their romance at the 1999Emmys, and reportedly remained together until the end of 2000.[23] Her second husband is Donald Ray Thomas II, a real estate investor, whom she married on December 18, 2006, inSan Antonio,Texas.[24]
^Silverman, Stephen M.; Ingrassia, Lisa (December 20, 2006)."Lara Flynn Boyle Weds".People. New York City. Archived fromthe original on December 26, 2014. RetrievedAugust 29, 2020.
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