Background
Coulson was born in Elmhurst, Illinois, and grew up in Southern California, the daughter of ballet dancer Elizabeth Fellegi. Her father was a radio and television producer and public relations executive.
Coulson was born in Elmhurst, Illinois, and grew up in Southern California, the daughter of ballet dancer Elizabeth Fellegi. Her father was a radio and television producer and public relations executive.
She earned a Bachelor degree at Scripps College and a Master of Fine Arts at San Francisco State University.
She is best known for her role as Margaret Lanterman, the enigmatic Log Lady, in the David Lynch television series Twin Peaks. Coulson met Lynch in the 1970s and performed various behind the scenes functions during the four-year filming of his low-budget classic Eraserhead (1977). Lynch reports that she began meditating at the same time as him during this period.
She also appeared in Lynch"s short film, in which she played a woman with no legs.
During the filming of Eraserhead, Lynch told Coulson that he had an image in his head of her holding a large log. Fifteen years later, he created such a role for her in Twin Peaks, on which she guest starred for 12 episodes through seasons 1 and 2.
Coulson went on to reprise her role in the film prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Maine, and in "Dual Spires" (2010), an episode of Psychology. Coulson was a theatre actor and worked with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon where she continued to be part of the acting company.
She appeared in Calvin Marshall directed by Gary Lundgren.
Coulson played the role of Susie in Lundgren"s film Redwood Highway with Shirley Knight and, Tom Skerritt and James LeGros. She was also in the second season of Portlandia.