Recently, long-time David Lynch collaborator Sabrina Sutherland shared a behind-the-scenes photo of the Palmer family from Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. The Instagram post featured Grace Zabriskie, Sheryl Lee and Ray Wise gathered in the Palmer family dining room on location in Everett, Washington. The image is similar to other promotional stills captured by the late Lorey Sebastian for the film’s promotional materials.
PALMER FAMILY PHOTO FROM SABRINA SUTHERLAND
On July 23, 2024, Sabrina Sutherland, Executive Producer for Twin Peaks: The Return, David Lynch: The Art Life and Inland Empire, shared a behind-the-scenes image of the Palmer family from David Lynch’s 1992 masterpiece, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me. She captioned the Instagram post, “Such a beautiful all-American family [heart emojis].”
Sutherland, who also played Jackie, a Silver Mustang Casino floor attendant in Twin Peaks: The Return, Parts 3-4, took the photo of what appears to be a print of Grace, Sheryl and Ray (there is some glare and details are not 100% crisp). There were no mobile phones with cameras in the early 1990s, so this image was originally shot on film and then printed.
The image is a delight to see as it has not been previously shared.
PALMER FAMILY PHOTOS BY LOREY SEBASTIAN
Sabrina’s image is similar to this photography by on-set photographer Lorey Sebastian. This photograph has Sarah Palmer smiling.
It was most likely captured around September 25, 1991 when the crew had taken over the Palmer House in Everett, Washington.
It was used in promotional material like this German lobby card from the film’s release in August 1992.
A similar blue-hued shot was found in a Japanese souvenir program from the film’s debut in Japan on May 16, 1992. Fans could even order prints of this image from an advertisement in the back of the program.
It’s even found in a 40-page booklet that was included with the MK2 French DVD release from 2004.
There is an alternate version of the family photo where Sarah Palmer is not smiling. It seems that the smiling version was preferred for marketing purposes, which is slightly unsettling knowing what happens in the Palmer family.
Their outfits are from the “wash your hands” scene, except Laura is wearing her dark jacket in the promotional image.
WHO IS LOREY SEBASTIAN?
Credited as “Still Photographer” for Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, Lorey Sebastian started her career in 1977 as the still photographer on the set of Joan Micklin Silver’s film Between The Lines. Sebastian was born in 1944 in New York City and eventually moved to Los Angeles. She had more than 100 film credits to her name including The Player, Crash, St. Elmo’s Fire, True Grit, Twilight, Hell or High Water and Hostiles.
Lorey was briefly married to John Sebastian of the Loving Spoonful. She retired around 2018 and moved to Truchas, New Mexico where she lived with her two dogs. Sadly, she passed on May 9, 2022 at the age of 78 following a brief illness.
During my research, I discovered Ms. Sebastian wrote several “Letters to the Editor” of The Santa Fe New Mexican newspaper between 2018-2022. Below is the final letter I found from her dated March 10, 2022.
I really like that shot Ms Sutherland posted. Looks so much like my grandma’s family “snaps” she would take at family visits!