This is from the shooting script of the pilot episode:

"GIOVANNA PASQUALINI PACKARD, a beautiful woman in her thirties, wearing a
silk negligee, sits at a vanity table, combing her hair, lost in a dreamy state of
mind. "

I understand Isabella Rossellini was due to play Mrs Packard instead of Joan Chen. Incidentally, "Giovanna" is one of IR's middle names. Can anyone tell me why the switch was made? Was IR actually offered the part? Did she refuse? Was there a clash of scheduling which meant IR couldn't do it?

I'm sure this has been covered before but I'd appreciate the info...

Thanks, Montana

Wow, that would have been awesome. I find Josie irritating, Rosselini would have been miles better.

Weren't Lynch and Rosellini in a relationship at the time? Perhaps they didn't want to mix the two?

Joan Chen's ethnicity is more appropriate to the region, historically and geographically.  I've seen more Asian (though usually Japanese) immigrants in the Pacific Northwest than I have Italians.  Besides, why would DL want his old lady around when there's Sherilyn and Madchen to mack? (...which he did...)

Wow, that would have been awesome. I find Josie irritating, Rosselini would have been miles better.

Weren't Lynch and Rosellini in a relationship at the time? Perhaps they didn't want to mix the two?

 Apparently they were together.

As for appropriateness of Joan Chen: wasn't it that Packard went abroad and came back with his future wife? In other words, he could have gone anywhere. I think JC did a good job: I think they hammed up the "inscrutable oriental" aspect. Didn't one of the series 1 commentaries say as much? I can see how it could be a bit irritating.

I just wondered why the switch was made. Any ideas/info?

ask and ye shall receive...:

"The part of Jocelyn Packard was originally written for Blue Velvet actress Isabella Rossellini, with whom Lynch was romantically involved.  In the event, her modelling commitments for Lancome made it impossible for her to play a recurring role in the series, though the original character's name, Giovanna Paqualini Packard, makes it clear for whom the part was intended, and would have given Blue Velvet fans reason to laugh when Cooper sees Giovanna and asks, 'Who's the babe?' (108, David Hughes, The Complete Lynch)  

Interestingly, that bit concludes with the trivia that Grace Zabriskie originally read for Lucy Moran, and Ray Wise read for Sherrif Truman.    

Thanks for the info. I know DL likes working with a familiar ensemble and the part was written for IR so I wondered what happened. The writer of yr quote didn't realise that the script of the first series was written after the pilot was already shot so the "babe" line probably wouldn't have appeared applied to IR.

Example of DL scripting around the actors after the experience of the pilot was Sheryl Lee appearing as Maddy in series 1 when originally she was initially cast as Laura and appears only in the pilot as a) the body, b) in the non-speaking picnic video and a single brief flashback. Apparently she so impressed DL that he wrote up the Maddy part to include her. You experts out there can probably think of other examples. (BTW, isn't interesting how few times flashback is used? Flashback is such a crude device. Any dull story can be made more complicated by chucking in back story. "Lost" looks so clunky and showy compared to the subtlety of "TP". Sorry, to "Lost" fans) 

Montana

I don't see why the "babe" line wouldn't have appeared...  

Phoebe Augustine told a great story at the Fest last year, how she got the part of Ronnette.    David had both Sheryl and Phoebe in mind for the two actresses, but hadn't decided who would be whom.   In a meeting with both, he asked if either would be willing to do nudity.  Phoebe wasn't, Sheryl was, hence the casting decision. 

I don't see why the "babe" line wouldn't have appeared...  

Personally speaking, I agree but apparently the writer you quote didn't. 

Phooebe Augustine tld a great story at the Fest last year, how she got the part of Ronnette.    David had both Sheryl and Phoebe in mind for the two actresses, but hadn't decided who would be whom.   In a meeting with both, he asked if either would be willing to do nudity.  Phoebe wasn't, Sheryl was, hence the casting decision. 

Nudity? No explicit nudity in TP (except under plastic). Was DL thinking ahead to FWWM? btw, was the Fleshworld photo the actress or another body with actress's face superimposed?

*Edit* BTW2 Although Laura is supposedly found naked, she is wearing white underpants under the plastic (7'18" into the pilot as the body is turned over). Were we meant to think she is nude or is Audrey's reference to "completely naked" to the Norwegians in the pilot an exaggeration? 

I don't see why the "babe" line wouldn't have appeared...

Phoebe Augustine told a great story at the Fest last year, how she got the part of Ronnette. David had both Sheryl and Phoebe in mind for the two actresses, but hadn't decided who would be whom. In a meeting with both, he asked if either would be willing to do nudity. Phoebe wasn't, Sheryl was, hence the casting decision.

Wow, you learn something new everyday!  I knew that was the reason he had cast Moira Kelly as Donna in FWWM because she was prepared to do the nudity and Lara wasn't, but I never really thought about Phoebe Augustine.  Mind you that would explain why she is still semi-clothed in the Pink Room.  I wondered about that..... 

Actually, the same book says that Boyle declined FWWM because she was getting other work, due to the success of Twin Peaks.  Fenn, too.  (Later Fenn fessed up in a 95 online interview that she, 'was extremely disappointed in the way the second season got off track.  As far as FWWM [is concerned,] it was something that I chose not to be a part of.'   (p 158)

 More Boyle rumors:  Everyone knows Machlachlan disapproved of the planned Audrey/Coop romance because of his belief in Cooper's professionalism, but Lara (who was his girlfriend at the time) also "did not want him doing love scenes with Fenn." (p 129)