NEED TO KNOW
Kyle MacLachlan is in his peak social media dad era.
Speaking with PEOPLE in an exclusive conversation at the season 2 premiere of Fallout in Los Angeles on Dec. 8, the Twin Peaks alum, 66, revealed how he feels about becoming a popular presence on Instagram and TikTok — as well as his son Callum’s reaction to his online fame.
“It really started in earnest when I was promoting this little podcast I did called Varnamtown … We started to do some funny off-the-wall promotions, and I said, ‘We should do more of this,’ ” Kyle recalled.
The Desperate Housewives alum added, “Then we did the Lorde video [in June],” referring to his viral post, set to the singer’s “What Was That” song, in which he captured her essence with his wardrobe and dance moves.
“And I’ve always approached it with just a sense of humor, of fun,” the actor explained of his social media strategy. “I’m trying to shine a light on things and on people and really bring kind of some joy.”
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Kyle, who has played iconic dads (i.e. Hank in Fallout and Riley’s father in Inside Out), also revealed to PEOPLE what his and wife Desiree Gruber’s 17-year-old son, Callum, thinks of his dad’s social media activity.
“My son will comment and say, ‘Less of this, Dad. More of this,’ ” he explained. “He’s a good guy because he’s in the trenches, obviously, but I think he’s responding more in the positive than in the negative, so it’s pretty good. I’m a little cringey but not terribly.”
In a recent TikTok that attracted more than 2.6 million likes, Kyle and actor Dylan O’Brien lip-sync to the Spice Girls’ 1996 hit “Wannabe.”
In a more recent TikTok, Kyle shows off his dancing skills in a “How your favorite Christmas gifts would dance” video.
The Sex and the City and How I Met Your Mother alum also emphasized that his rise to social media stardom wasn’t a solo effort.
“I work with some clever people — it’s not just me. I work with a team and they’re very clever, and they really get my sense of humor,” he said.
“I’ve always been a silly person, and I’m letting that side of me out a little bit more as I get older, and that’s just all kind of culminating in this really fun, fun thing that’s going on right now,” the actor added of his success.
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Lorenzo Sisti/Prime Video
The Golden Globe winner is currently starring in Prime Video’s post-apocalyptic drama series Fallout, which is based on the video game of the same name. Kyle plays Overseer Hank MacLean, the leader of Vault 33, an underground universe trying to avoid radiation, mutants and bandits.
Fallout season 2 will premiere on Prime Video on Dec. 17.
