Josie Packard
Encyclopedia
Jocelyn "Josie" Packard is a character
from the television series Twin Peaks
, created by David Lynch
and Mark Frost
. Played by Joan Chen
, she is a classic "femme fatale" character.
, and is ethnic Chinese
. Throughout the first season, Josie seems innocent, an easy mark and potential victim for her more savvy and cunning sister in law, Catherine, and Catherine's lover, Ben Horne
. It is only later that we learn that Josie is not at all what she seems, as she is a classic "femme fatale
" character whose innocence masks a manipulative and cold-blooded side.
Josie meets Andrew Packard, owner of the Packard Mill, in Hong Kong and accompanies him to Twin Peaks
as his wife. After Andrew's death in a boating accident, Josie inherits the mill, which is run by Catherine. Her sister-in-law resents Josie for taking over the mill and suspects that Josie was responsible for Andrew's demise. Catherine's husband, Pete Martell
, a former woodcutter, is good friends with Josie, seeing her fragile side and striving to protect her.
After her husband's death, Josie starts dating the town sheriff
Harry S. Truman. FBI Agent Dale Cooper
, in town investigating the murder of Laura Palmer
, has befriended Truman, and quickly detected Truman's feelings for Josie, but does not himself trust her at all. He tries to warn Truman against getting too close to Josie, but to no avail. At the end of the first season, a mysterious caller shoots Cooper. He survives, thanks to a quick operation, but does not get a look at his assailant, who is later revealed to have been Josie.
Josie was taking English
lessons from Laura Palmer
, right up until the day of Laura's death (in the book The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer
, it is revealed that Laura and Josie were sexual partners as well.) It's implied that Josie's malapropisms and thick accent when speaking with Pete or Harry early in the series are a put-on; when Josie is revealed to be more than meets the eye, she is shown speaking to Ben with perfect English and no trace of an accent.
At first, Catherine and Ben Horne conspire to steal ownership of the mill away from Josie. Later, it is revealed that Josie herself is in fact working with Ben Horne to cut Catherine out of the picture, and that Josie employed Hank Jennings to kill Andrew with Ben's knowledge and complicity. Still later, it is revealed that all the while she was taking orders from Andrew's former business partner and rival, Thomas Eckhardt.
In the show's second season, Josie is horrified when both of the men in her life return. Andrew had not been killed in the boat accident, and returns to live with Catherine who forces Josie to become her maid. Eckhardt then arrives in Twin Peaks and ordered Josie to come see him.
On the last night of her life, she takes a gun with her to meet Eckhardt. Cooper, who had been monitoring Josie discreetly, learns from coat hair fibers found at the scene that she shot him. He goes to the Great Northern to arrest her, followed by Truman. However, they are too late to prevent Josie from killing Eckhardt.
Moments later, Josie collapses dead in front of Cooper and a shattered Truman. At the moment of her death, Cooper sees a vision of Bob
and the Man from another place
. Bob asks Cooper, laughing, "Coop, what happened to Josie?!" At the autopsy
, her body was found to have lost a dramatic amount of weight. Deputy Hawk speculates that her soul is no longer in the body. Indeed, it appears that Josie's soul is trapped within the wood of the hotel, to be more exact - in the doorknob of a drawer, as envisioned by the Log Lady in her narrative. She was mentioned once more when Pete said - at the hotel - "Josie, I see your face."
release of Twin Peaks, Josie was originally conceived as an Italian
woman named Giovanna (a reproduction of a script page shown on screen during this segment of the documentary indicates "Josie" was intended to be a nickname for Giovanna). David Lynch
's domestic partner at the time, Isabella Rossellini
, was to have played her.
Fictional character
A character is the representation of a person in a narrative work of art . Derived from the ancient Greek word kharaktêr , the earliest use in English, in this sense, dates from the Restoration, although it became widely used after its appearance in Tom Jones in 1749. From this, the sense of...
from the television series Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
, created by David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
and Mark Frost
Mark Frost
Mark Frost is an American novelist, television/film writer, director, who is best known as a writer for the TV show Hill Street Blues and co-creator of the show Twin Peaks.-Personal life:...
. Played by Joan Chen
Joan Chen
Joan Chong Chen is a Chinese American actress, film director, screenwriter and film producer. She became famous in China for her performance in the 1979 film Little Flower and came to international attention for her performance in the 1987 Academy Award-winning film The Last Emperor...
, she is a classic "femme fatale" character.
Background
She is from Hong KongHong Kong
Hong Kong is one of two Special Administrative Regions of the People's Republic of China , the other being Macau. A city-state situated on China's south coast and enclosed by the Pearl River Delta and South China Sea, it is renowned for its expansive skyline and deep natural harbour...
, and is ethnic Chinese
Chinese people
The term Chinese people may refer to any of the following:*People with Han Chinese ethnicity ....
. Throughout the first season, Josie seems innocent, an easy mark and potential victim for her more savvy and cunning sister in law, Catherine, and Catherine's lover, Ben Horne
Ben Horne
Benjamin Joseph Horne is a character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost, portrayed by Richard Beymer. His last name is based on real life department store owner Joseph Horne founder of Horne's in Pittsburgh where Mark Frost is from, while his and his...
. It is only later that we learn that Josie is not at all what she seems, as she is a classic "femme fatale
Femme fatale
A femme fatale is a mysterious and seductive woman whose charms ensnare her lovers in bonds of irresistible desire, often leading them into compromising, dangerous, and deadly situations. She is an archetype of literature and art...
" character whose innocence masks a manipulative and cold-blooded side.
Josie meets Andrew Packard, owner of the Packard Mill, in Hong Kong and accompanies him to Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks
Twin Peaks is an American television serial drama created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. The series follows the investigation headed by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper , of the murder of a popular teenager and homecoming queen, Laura Palmer...
as his wife. After Andrew's death in a boating accident, Josie inherits the mill, which is run by Catherine. Her sister-in-law resents Josie for taking over the mill and suspects that Josie was responsible for Andrew's demise. Catherine's husband, Pete Martell
Pete Martell
Peter Martell is a character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost.Pete , born on June 28, 1943, is a lumberjack who married his boss' sister Catherine. What started as a "summer's indiscretion", developed into a marriage on the rocks, a marriage that from...
, a former woodcutter, is good friends with Josie, seeing her fragile side and striving to protect her.
After her husband's death, Josie starts dating the town sheriff
Sheriff
A sheriff is in principle a legal official with responsibility for a county. In practice, the specific combination of legal, political, and ceremonial duties of a sheriff varies greatly from country to country....
Harry S. Truman. FBI Agent Dale Cooper
Dale Cooper
FBI Special agent Dale Bartholomew Cooper is a fictional character from the television series Twin Peaks, portrayed by Kyle MacLachlan. He is the lead protagonist of the series, and briefly appears in the prequel film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me....
, in town investigating the murder of Laura Palmer
Laura Palmer
Laura Palmer is a fictional character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Her death was the catalyst for the events of the series...
, has befriended Truman, and quickly detected Truman's feelings for Josie, but does not himself trust her at all. He tries to warn Truman against getting too close to Josie, but to no avail. At the end of the first season, a mysterious caller shoots Cooper. He survives, thanks to a quick operation, but does not get a look at his assailant, who is later revealed to have been Josie.
Josie was taking English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
lessons from Laura Palmer
Laura Palmer
Laura Palmer is a fictional character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. Her death was the catalyst for the events of the series...
, right up until the day of Laura's death (in the book The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer
The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer
The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer is a 1990 spin-off novel from the television series Twin Peaks by Jennifer Lynch. Lynch, then aged 22, is the daughter of series co-creator David Lynch...
, it is revealed that Laura and Josie were sexual partners as well.) It's implied that Josie's malapropisms and thick accent when speaking with Pete or Harry early in the series are a put-on; when Josie is revealed to be more than meets the eye, she is shown speaking to Ben with perfect English and no trace of an accent.
At first, Catherine and Ben Horne conspire to steal ownership of the mill away from Josie. Later, it is revealed that Josie herself is in fact working with Ben Horne to cut Catherine out of the picture, and that Josie employed Hank Jennings to kill Andrew with Ben's knowledge and complicity. Still later, it is revealed that all the while she was taking orders from Andrew's former business partner and rival, Thomas Eckhardt.
In the show's second season, Josie is horrified when both of the men in her life return. Andrew had not been killed in the boat accident, and returns to live with Catherine who forces Josie to become her maid. Eckhardt then arrives in Twin Peaks and ordered Josie to come see him.
On the last night of her life, she takes a gun with her to meet Eckhardt. Cooper, who had been monitoring Josie discreetly, learns from coat hair fibers found at the scene that she shot him. He goes to the Great Northern to arrest her, followed by Truman. However, they are too late to prevent Josie from killing Eckhardt.
Moments later, Josie collapses dead in front of Cooper and a shattered Truman. At the moment of her death, Cooper sees a vision of Bob
Bob (Twin Peaks)
Killer BOB is a fictional character in the American Broadcasting Company television series Twin Peaks, a supernatural crime series about an investigation of the death of popular teenager, Laura Palmer. He is a demonic entity who feeds on fear and pleasure...
and the Man from another place
Man from another place
The Man from Another Place is a fictional character from the television series Twin Peaks, created by David Lynch and Mark Frost. He is an inhabitant of the Black Lodge, a realm of pure evil. Early on in the series, The Man gives Agent Dale Cooper clues to apprehending The Man's nemesis, BOB...
. Bob asks Cooper, laughing, "Coop, what happened to Josie?!" At the autopsy
Autopsy
An autopsy—also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy , autopsia cadaverum, or obduction—is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present...
, her body was found to have lost a dramatic amount of weight. Deputy Hawk speculates that her soul is no longer in the body. Indeed, it appears that Josie's soul is trapped within the wood of the hotel, to be more exact - in the doorknob of a drawer, as envisioned by the Log Lady in her narrative. She was mentioned once more when Pete said - at the hotel - "Josie, I see your face."
Casting
According to an interview with Joan Chen in the documentary Secrets from Another Place, included with the 2007 "Gold Box Edition" DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
release of Twin Peaks, Josie was originally conceived as an Italian
Italian people
The Italian people are an ethnic group that share a common Italian culture, ancestry and speak the Italian language as a mother tongue. Within Italy, Italians are defined by citizenship, regardless of ancestry or country of residence , and are distinguished from people...
woman named Giovanna (a reproduction of a script page shown on screen during this segment of the documentary indicates "Josie" was intended to be a nickname for Giovanna). David Lynch
David Lynch
David Keith Lynch is an American filmmaker, television director, visual artist, musician and occasional actor. Known for his surrealist films, he has developed his own unique cinematic style, which has been dubbed "Lynchian", and which is characterized by its dream imagery and meticulous sound...
's domestic partner at the time, Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Rossellini
Isabella Fiorella Elettra Giovanna Rossellini is an Italian actress, filmmaker, author, philanthropist, and model. Rossellini is noted for her 14-year tenure as a Lancôme model, and for her roles in films such as Blue Velvet and Death Becomes Her.-Background and early life:Rossellini is a...
, was to have played her.