By Chris Snellgrove
| Published
Even back in the ‘90s, most genre fans were well aware of the crossover between The X-Files and Twin Peaks. After all, David Duchovny appeared on Twin Peaks in what was effectively his first big role. The X-Files star also came back for Twin Peaks: The Return, but what most fans of both franchises don’t realize is that these connections go much deeper than Duchovny. In fact, a whopping nine actors appeared in both shows.
The X-Files Twin Peaks Actors
Obviously, David Duchovny is the most famous X-Files actor to appear on Twin Peaks. In David Lynch’s seminal show, Duchovny appeared as DEA Agent Denise Bryson, a role that he would reprise in Twin Peaks: The Return. In a scene where the actor speaks to Lynch (himself a character in the show), the other man tells the trans character (now an FBI Chief of Staff) what he told the agency colleagues who doubted her abilities: “fix your hearts or die,” a phrase which has been wholeheartedly adopted by supporters of trans rights.
Aside from Duchovny, the next biggest X-Files star to appear on Twin Peaks was Don Davis. He played Scully’s father, a character who died in Season 1 and then appeared to his daughter in visions in Season 2. On Twin Peaks, he played a military man (Major Briggs) and father to Bobby, with both characters coming back (from beyond the grave in Davis’ case) for Twin Peaks: The Return.
What other X-Files actors appeared on Twin Peaks? Richard Beymer appeared as a deadly surgeon who tangled with Mulder and Scully in “Sanguinarium”, and he appeared in Lynch’s series as sleazebag hotel owner Benjamin Horne. Frankly, you can easily give yourself whiplash when comparing how different the two characters are, especially because Horne was often a comic relief character.
Additionally, Kenneth Walsh plays a fake preacher killer in the X-Files episode “Revelations” and as the villainous Windom Earle in Twin Peaks. Michael J. Anderson, meanwhile, played a cantankerous circus performer in the awesome X-Files episode “Humbug” and also played the mysterious little guy who appeared in Dale Cooper’s dreams in Twin Peaks. Frances Bay, meanwhile, played a nursing home resident vexed by spirits in the X-Files episode “Excelsis Dei” as well as Mrs. Tremond in both Twin Peaks and Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me.
Some of these crossover actors had more memorable appearances than others. For example, Robyn Lively played a woman who frequently appeared in hallucinations in the X-Files episode “Field Trip” as well as a Miss Twin Peaks contestant. Jan D’Arcy, meanwhile, played Sylvia Horne in Twin Peaks and Judge Kann in “Tooms,” the X-Files episode that brought back the infamously stretchy monster man, Eugene Tooms.
Out of all the crossover actors, though, nobody was more consistent in his dual roles than Michael Horse. On The X-Files, he played a sheriff on a reservation in the episode “Shapes.” And in Twin Peaks, he played Sheriff Truman’s Deputy Hawk (a role he reprised in The Return), making him a lawman dealing with paranormal shenanigans in two different franchises.
As you can tell, the connections between The X-Files and Twin Peaks go far deeper than David Duchovny’s appearance in each series. And with the recent passing of David Lynch, there has never been a better time to rewatch all of his groundbreaking television series from the beginning. It can be confusing at times, but when it comes to unraveling the mysteries of Twin Peaks, just remember what Denise Bryson might have told our characters in another life: the truth is out there.
