Catherine Coulson dead: Twin Peaks' Log Lady dies aged 71

She played Margaret Lanterman, also known as 'the Log Lady'

(Getty)

Actress Catherine Coulson, best known for playing the Log Lady on David Lynch’s Twin Peaks, has died of cancer at the age of 71.

“We are all deeply sad, she meant so much to so many,” said her agent, Mary Dangerfield, in a statement.

Coulson’s character, real name Margaret Lanterman, appeared in both seasons of the iconic ABC show, and was set to make a return for the series' ‘reboot’, which is expected in 2016/2017.

Lynch praised his friend in a statement, saying: “Today I lost one of my dearest friends, Catherine Coulson. Catherine was solid gold. She was always there for her friends - she was filled with love for all people - for her family - for her work. She was a tireless worker. She had a great sense of humour - she loved to laugh and make people laugh. She was a spiritual person - a longtime TM meditator. She was the Log Lady.”

Coulson first met Lynch working as assistant director on his 1977 debut feature ‘Eraserhead’, where they first came up with the idea of a woman who carried around a log.

Aside from Twin Peaks, Coulson was primarily a theatre actor, but made an appearance in Season Two of Portlandia as the proprietor of a fruit farm.