Exclusive Brenda Reed interview!

Brenda Reed (Brenda E. Mathers at the time of filming) played Windom Earle's wife Caroline in a brief but pivotal role in Twin Peaks. We sent her a list of questions as well as a nice little bonsai plant. And we listened. This is what we have gleaned thus far...

Twin Peaks Archive: Tell us a little bit about yourself. Was Twin Peaks your first acting job?

Brenda Reed: I started in Detroit modeling and doing commercials. I got an agent in Los Angeles the end of 1990 and moved west. I joined the extra's agencies and was cast that way. I became recurring after my photo shoot for Kyle's wallet and
finished the season with everyone. (the last season, :o() I was part of a theatre group, and was doing some small roles in movies.

Twin Peaks Archive: How did Twin Peaks come about?

Brenda Reed: I signed with the extra's agency and went to meet the producers. I did a photo shoot for the wallet photo for Kyle to take out and look at and they liked me so they kept me on to finish the season as a dead girl.

Twin Peaks Archive: What did you do on the show and in what order?

Brenda Reed: I did the photo shoot for the wallet and then they decided they needed the mask for the bed - I have that - and then we did the scenes where Kyle flashes back and I look like I am floating, then we did the last scene where Heather and I
are dressed alike. We also spent some time in Woodholly studios to do get all the script phonetically correct, backwards.....
Twin Peaks Archive: The script for the final episode was scrapped by Lynch and largely improvised. Were you aware of this and did it effect your scene?

Brenda Reed: Oh, yes. We joked about what we were going to say next. And you had to get it right, we were speaking phonetically backwards. It was very fun and lighthearted most of the time. David himself put the fake blood on me to make it match to Heather's and while doing so I asked him for some more lines to speak - He said something like; You have a lot to say for a dead person. Almost all of the improvising was done by David, all of what I said was. He wrote it in his head and let us know what he wanted us to say. To me, it was as if he was trying to find the right words to patch the holes in the boat so it wouldn't sink. At the very end he just said what he wanted.

Twin Peaks Archive: Did you get the feeling from the crew and/or cast that this would be the last episode of the series?

Brenda Reed: Yes, we were all aware of the Neilson ratings.

Twin Peaks Archive: Have you ever seen any of the amazing photos that Richard Beymer took during the final days of shooting?

Brenda Reed: No. (These will be included on the upcoming Peaks DVD box set)

Twin Peaks Archive: Were you aware of the show or David Lynch before you became involved?

Brenda Reed: I knew of some of his work. Was slightly familiar with Twin Peaks.
Twin Peaks Archive: Did you take any photos or keep any props or costumes from the show?

Brenda Reed: I have my jean shirt we all received after the show and I have the mask that was used on the bed pillow.

Twin Peaks Archive: Tell us about yourself after the show. Talk about your voiceover work.

Brenda Reed: My career in LA was very fulfilling. I was very successful in creating a lucrative niche for myself in VO and on-camera commercials. I am a professional driver so without conflict I could drive for any and all the car manufacturers. New car models, new commercials. I also worked alot doing voiceovers. I did alot of training video's and computer training, commercials for companies like Fed-Ex, Marriott hotels. I was married in 2000 to a music supervisor and we moved out of LA in 2003. We lived in Miami for 2 years and then finally made the move back to family in 2005. All 4 of us are back in Detroit (we had a baby March 2005 - Preston, and bought a little dog named Mazzy Star in Feb 2004) Our little family is happily back in the folds of our extended family. (Both Ted and I are originally from Detroit). I am now a stay at home Mom and still drive for the auto companies in commercials, VO's, still do a little modeling and now Preston is signed with my agents too.

TPA thanks Brenda for her time and generosity! We also thank her for supplying us with the never before seen photos from her private collection. Everyone check out Brenda's MySpace page here.
Photo by Richard Beymer