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Kyle MacLachlan is a TV and movie sensation - here's why he decided to go into podcasting

Twin Peaks legend MacLachlan says he "didn't really know any of the names" of some of his younger co-stars, so he started What Are We Even Doing to remedy that

Kyle MacLachlan, by his own admission, is a seeker. That is, he's someone who is always looking to understand more, to get a better picture of the world around him and the viewpoints of those who populate it. As a TV and film star, MacLachlan's seeking has taken him to some strange and wonderful places, including the surreal forests of Twin Peaks and the post-apocalyptic wastes of Fallout. But in order to understand one thing he was espcially curious about, MacLachlan had to switch to an entirely different medium altogether.

Which is why he's now Kyle MacLachlan, host of hit podcast What Are We Even Doing?

I got to chat about the podcast during our conversation with MacLachlan at Emerald City Comic Con 2026. What was it, I wondered, that made someone so known for their work on screen get behind the mic of a sound booth? 

"It started with an effort to better understand a younger generation, honestly," MacLachlan began, "Gen Z was coming up and I was working with some pretty creative people in a little thing called Overcompensating. I was really intrigued with what was happening, and I didn't really know any of the names and any of the people. I felt bad about that and I said, 'I've got to pay more attention to to what's coming.'"

The Blue Velvet star continued, "I always spoke about my mentors being an older generation of actors and creatives, but I said, 'I really need to look back and see what's happening.' So, I put together this podcast and the sole goal is really to talk creative process with a couple different generations - young millennial, Gen Z - and just go into some detail about why and what and where."

So has MacLachlan's seeking been successful? the way he tells it - the answer is a damn fine 'yes.'

"I've really enjoyed the conversations," MacLachlan said, smiling. "They're really just simple conversations; we speak for about an hour and then [the producers] cut everything down and and make it fun. I've thoroughly enjoyed it; I've had some really wonderful conversations. Kaia Gerber was one of my first first guests ever, bless her heart for being brave. Dylan O'Brien came on. [...] Caleb Hearon, a wonderful comedian, Benny Skinner, who plays my son in Overcompensating was on as well."

Looking ahead, who would the Fallout star want on for a future episode? Well, that answer was fairly obvious.

"I'm looking forward to getting Ella Pernell there," he concluded.

You can listen to What Are We Even Doing? wherever you get your podcasts. Watch Popverse's interview with Kyle MacLachlan from ECCC '26 here:


Get deeper into the mystery with Popverse's Twin Peaks watch guide

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Grant DeArmitt

Grant DeArmitt: Grant DeArmitt (he/him) likes horror, comics, and the unholy union of the two. In the past, and despite their better judgment, he has written for Nightmare on Film Street and Newsarama. He lives in Brooklyn with his partner, Kingsley, and corgi, Legs.

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