Sheryl Lee's inaugural scene on the iconic TV series Twin Peaks in 1990 introduced her as Laura Palmer, the ill-fated homecoming queen, wrapped in plastic and shrouded in mystery.
Born on April 27, 1967, in Germany, Lee grew up in Boulder, Colorado, where she spent a significant portion of her youth dedicated to the study of dance. However, knee injuries eventually brought an end to her aspirations of becoming a professional dancer. Instead, she turned her attention to acting, participating in school plays and later graduating from Fairview High School.
Lee's academic pursuits continued at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Pasadena, California, as well as the North Carolina School of Arts, the National Conservatory Theater in Denver, and Colorado University. Her extensive training ultimately led her to pursue stage work in Seattle, Washington.
It was in Seattle that Lee landed the role of Laura Palmer, a character she would reprise in the series Twin Peaks and its film adaptation, Wild at Heart. She also appeared as Laura's cousin, Madeleine Ferguson, on the show, playing a brunette with glasses who bore a striking resemblance to her relative.
Lee's collaboration with Twin Peaks mastermind David Lynch did not end with the series. She worked with him again on the film Wild at Heart and resurrected Laura Palmer for one final time in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me.
Since then, Lee has enjoyed a long and varied career, with credits including the Stuart Sutcliffe biopic Backbeat, the John Carpenter film Vampires, and the TV series L.A. Doctors.
