I woke today to news Pamela Gidley, the actress who played Teresa Banks in Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me, passed at the age of 52 on April 16, 2018. I’m sad I never had an opportunity to meet her. Like Special Agent Chet Desmond, I was captivated by her eyes. I can understand why David Lynch cast her in the film as her presence on screen was mesmerizing. In honor of her memory, here is my love letter to Teresa Banks.
The character of Teresa Banks wasn’t seen in Seasons 1 and 2 of Twin Peaks. She was briefly mentioned in the Pilot Episode when Agent Cooper addresses the town. Her name was mentioned again in Episode 2001 when Albert is examining Cooper.
While her character was a key part of the 1992 film, several of her scenes didn’t make the final cut. I’m thrilled they were included on The Missing Pieces release a few years ago. Lynch knew how to capture her in the right colors to make her scenes pop (as seen below).
