Lara Flynn Boyle (born March 24, 1970) is an American actress. She is known for playing Donna Hayward in the television series Twin Peaks (1990–1991). After appearing in Penelope Spheeris's comedy Wayne's World (1992), Boyle had a lead role in John Dahl's neo-noir film Red Rock West (1993), and in the psychological thriller The Temp (1993), followed by roles in Threesome (1994), Cafe Society (1995), Happiness (1998), and the villainous Serleena in Men in Black II (2002). From 1997 to 2003, she starred in the ABC series The Practice, for which she received a Primetime Emmy Award nomination.
Early life
Boyle was born in Davenport, Iowa, the daughter of Sally Flynn, a clerical worker, assistant, and manager, and Michael L. Boyle. Her paternal grandfather was U.S. Representative Charles A. Boyle. She has Irish, German, and Italian ancestry. She is named after a character in Boris Pasternak's novel Doctor Zhivago. She was raised in Chicago, Illinois, and Wisconsin, and graduated from The Chicago Academy for the Arts.
Career
In 1986, Boyle landed a small part in John Hughes's teen comedy film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, which earned her a SAG 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 miniseries Amerika (1987), followed by guest appearances on episodes of the series Jack and Mike (1987) and Sable (1987).
After a string of supporting roles, Boyle landed a lead role in the Gary Sherman horror film Poltergeist III (1988), which was distributed by the media company MGM. Although she was cast as Ginny Danburry in Peter Weir's drama film Dead Poets Society (1989), her scenes were ultimately deleted from the final cut.
In 1989, Boyle rose to international prominence when David Lynch cast her as Donna Hayward in the television series Twin Peaks (1990–1991). The series focused on the murder of the high school Homecoming Queen Laura 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, on ABC and subsequently became one of the top-rated series of 1990, but a decline in ratings ultimately led to its cancellation after its second season in 1991. Boyle appeared in all 30 episodes.
thumbnail|left|Boyle and [[Kyle MacLachlan arriving at the 43rd Primetime Emmy Awards in August 1991]]
When discussing Lynch's direction, Boyle stated, "I remember, in the 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."
In 1994, Boyle was cast as Alex in the comedy Threesome, Laraine Cotwell in Baby's Day Out, and Ida Muntz in The Road to Wellville. The same year, Boyle appeared in the television films Past Tense and Jacob. In 1995, she was cast as Pat Ward in the mystery film Cafe Society. In 1997, she portrayed Marianne Byron in the film Afterglow. Boyle auditioned for the title role in David E. Kelley's Ally McBeal. Although she lost out to Calista Flockhart, Boyle impressed Kelley enough to cast her in the role of Assistant District Attorney Helen Gamble in his other 1997 series, The Practice. The following year, Boyle portrayed Helen Jordan in Todd Solondz’s controversial comedy-drama film Happiness.
She starred on The Practice until 2003, when, in a dramatic attempt to revamp the show and cut costs, she was dismissed along with most of the cast. For her performance as Helen Gamble, she received an Emmy nomination as well as several Screen Actors Guild ensemble cast nominations. Boyle also made a crossover appearance in the role of Helen Gamble in an episode of Ally McBeal, and an uncredited guest appearance on the same show in its final season.
In 2002, Boyle played a lead role in the blockbuster feature film Men in Black II, as the villainous shapeshifting alien Serleena. She also guest-starred on one of the last episodes of Ally McBeal, this time as Tally Cupp, and had a recurring role on several episodes of Huff.
In 2005, Boyle joined the cast of Las Vegas for a seven-episode stint as Monica Mancuso, a new hotel owner. right|thumbnail|upright 1.4|Boyle and [[Kyle MacLachlan at the Governor's Ball held immediately after the 1990 Emmy Awards]]She played Barbara Amiel in the television film Shades 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 the Law & Order 2008 episode "Submission".
In 2009, Boyle portrayed Mary in Baby on Board. The same year, Boyle was cast as Betty McBain in the independent film Life Is Hot in Cracktown. In 2010, she starred as Kathy in Cougar Hunting. In 2013, Boyle portrayed Witch Agnes in the horror comedy film Hansel & Gretel Get Baked. In 2015, she portrayed Ms. Donley in the film Lucky Dog.
In 2020, after a five-year break, she returned to acting to star as Grace in the film Death in Texas alongside Stephen Lang.
Personal life
Boyle dated her Twin Peaks co-star Kyle MacLachlan from 1990 until 1992, and was married to John Patrick Dee III from 1996 to 1998. She then dated comedian David Spade, whom she left for actor Jack Nicholson after Nicholson asked her out in front of Spade while the three were smoking weed together; Boyle was 29 and Nicholson was 62 at the time, and Spade later found out they were together from a paparazzi report on a car crash they were in. Boyle and Nicholson went public with their romance at the 1999 Emmy Awards ceremony and reportedly split up in late 2000. On December 18, 2006, Boyle married real estate investor Donald Ray Thomas II in San Antonio, Texas.
Filmography
Film
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| 1986 || Ferris Bueller's Day Off || Heather || (scenes deleted)
|-
| 1988 || Poltergeist III || Donna Gardner ||
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1989 || How I Got into College || Jessica Kailo ||
|-
| Dead Poets Society || Ginny Danburry ||
|-
| 1990 || ' || Sarah Ackerman ||
|-
| rowspan=3 | 1991 || ' || Rosarita ||
|-
| Mobsters || Mara Motes ||
|-
| Eye of the Storm || Sandra Gladstone ||
|-
| rowspan=3 | 1992 || Where the Day Takes You || Heather ||
|-
| Wayne's World || Stacy ||
|-
| Equinox || Beverly Franks || Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Supporting Female
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1993 || ' || Kris Bolin ||
|-
| Red Rock West || Ann McCord / Suzanne Brown ||
|-
| rowspan=3 | 1994 || Threesome || Alex ||
|-
| Baby's Day Out || Laraine Cotwell ||
|-
| ' || Ida Muntz ||
|-
| 1995 || Cafe Society || Pat Ward ||
|-
| 1996 || ' || Tanya Mulhill ||
|-
| rowspan=4 | 1997 || Farmer & Chase || Hillary ||
|-
| Red Meat || Ruth ||
|-
| Afterglow || Marianne Byron ||
|-
| Cannes Man || Herself ||
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1998 || Happiness || Helen Jordan ||
|-
| Susan's Plan || Betty Johnson ||
|-
| 2000 || Chain of Fools || Karen ||
|-
| 2001 || Speaking of Sex || Emily Paige ||
|-
| 2002 || Men in Black II || Serleena || Nominated—Razzie Award for Worst Supporting Actress
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2006 || Land of the Blind || First Lady ||
|-
| Fwiends.com || Yuppie girl || Short film
|-
| 2007 || Have Dreams, Will Travel || Ben's Mother ||
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2009 || Baby on Board || Mary Radcliffe ||
|-
| Life Is Hot in Cracktown || Betty McBain ||
|-
| 2010 || Cougar Hunting || Kathy ||
|-
| 2013 || Hansel & Gretel Get Baked || Witch Agnes || Also associate producer
|-
| 2015 || Lucky Dog || Ms. Donley ||
|-
| 2020 || Death in Texas || Grace ||
|-
| 2023 || Mother, Couch || Linda ||
|}
Television
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Title
! Role
! class="unsortable" | Notes
|-
| rowspan=3 | 1987 || Jack and Mike || Leslie || Episode: "Quality of Mercy"
|-
| Amerika || Jackie Bradford || 5 episodes
|-
| Sable || Melanie Waterston || Episode: "Toy Gun"
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1989 || Terror on Highway 91 || Laura Taggart || Television film
|-
| ' || Jennifer Levin || Television film
|-
| 1990–1991 || Twin Peaks || Donna Hayward || 30 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2|1991 || |The Hidden Room|| Nicole || Episode: "Splinters of Privacy"
|-
| May Wine || Cammie || Television film
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1994 || Past Tense || Tory Bass / Sabrina James || Television film
|-
| Jacob || Rachel || Television film
|-
| 1995 || Legend || Theresa Dunleavy || Episode: "Skeletons in the Closet"
|-
| 1997–2003 || ' || Helen Gamble || 116 episodes<br>Nominated—Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series<br>Nominated—Screen Actors Guild Award for Outstanding Performance by an Ensemble in a Drama Series <small>(1999–2001)</small>
|-
| rowspan=2 | 1998 || Ally McBeal || Helen Gamble || Episode: "Making Spirits Bright"
|-
| Since You've Been Gone || Grace Williams || Television film
|-
| 2002 || Ally McBeal || Tally Cupp || Episode: "Tom Dooley"
|-
| 2004–2005 || Huff || Melody Coatar || 5 episodes
|-
| 2005–2006 || Las Vegas || Monica Mancuso || 8 episodes
|-
| rowspan=2 | 2006 || ' || Col Kennedy || Television film
|-
| Shades of Black: The Conrad Black Story || Barbara Amiel || Television film
|-
| 2008 || Law & Order || Dawn Talley || Episode: "Submission"
|}