Sheryl Lee appeared in a film as a teacher.
Sheryl Lee . After studying acting in college , Lee relocated to Seattle , Washington to work in theater , where she was cast by David Lynch as Laura Palmer and Maddy Ferguson on the 1990 cult TV series Twin Peaks and in the 1992 film Twin Peaks : Fire Walk with Me . Notable film roles include as Astrid Kirchherr in Backbeat ( 1994 ) , as well as a lead role in the drama Mother Night ( 1996 ) , based on the novel by Kurt Vonnegut . Sheryl Lee Ralph . She made her screen debut in the 1977 comedy film A Piece of the Action , before landing her breakthrough role as Deena Jones in the Broadway musical Dreamgirls ( 1981 ) , for which she received Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical .