Donna Hayward

Donna is first seen walking to her locker at school, amused at the sight of Audrey Horne changing into heels and smoking a cigarette a few lockers down. She then goes to class and sees a deputy enter the classroom as the teacher is taking attendance, asking if Bobby Briggs is present. After the town hears the news of Laura Palmer's murder, Donna looks at Laura's empty desk and begins to cry. She is brought in for questioning before Sheriff Harry S. Truman and FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper, who ask about a picnic with Laura that was filmed by James Hurley, but she insists that it was recorded by a female hiker. Donna sneaks out and goes to the Roadhouse, where a fight breaks out between James and Donna's boyfriend Mike. Donna and James escape to the woods, where she tells him that the police are looking for him. When they drive off, they are stopped by Truman and Cooper. The next morning, Donna tells her mother she has feelings for James. She goes to the Palmer home, and talks to Laura's mother Sarah, who calls Donna by Laura's name and becomes hysterical. The next day, Donna goes to the Double R Diner and talks to Audrey about Laura's death and their admiration for Cooper.

The following day, Donna attends Laura's funeral, and witnesses Laura's father Leland throw himself on Laura's casket while sobbing hystericalluy At school, Donna is doing her makeup when Audrey comes in and tells her that she is aware of the secrets surrounding Laura's life, including that she had been seeing Dr. Lawrence Jacoby, something that Donna didn't know. Later, she goes to the woods with James to find the other half of the necklace that they buried as children, but they cannot find it. Donna later goes to the Double R Diner with him, where she meets Laura's cousin, Maddy Ferguson. She asks Maddy to assist them in their investigation into Laura's death. Later that night, Maddy cals Donna and tells her that she found a tape in Laura's hiding place. Donna listens to the tape and realized that it was recorded for Jacoby. She discovers that a tape recorded the night Laura died is missing. James believes that Jacoby must be in possession of the tape and suggests they go to Jacoby's office to find it, and they could lure him out with a "phone call from Laura." Later, she meets Maddy and James in the park, the former wearing a blonde wig to make her look identical to Laura. Maddy deceives Jacoby by speaking as Laura on the phone. Donna and James infiltrate his office as he left. Donna finds the missing tape and half of Laura's necklace. At Donna's house, they listens to the tape, in which Laura mentions a "mystery man" who drives a red corvette.

Donna goes to the Double R Diner the next day and meets with Maddy. Maddy then informs her that Leland's hair has turned white. Donna calls Norma Jennings and expresses interest in taking over Laura's volunteer route for Meals on Wheels. Starting on the route, Donna goes to the home of an elderly woman named Mrs. Tremond, who tells her about her suspicious neighbor, Harold Smith, and reveals that he was friends with Laura. Donna knocks on Smith's door, but he does not answer so she leaves him a note. He calls her that night, and they arrange to meet the next day. The next morning, she goes to Harold's home and they talk about Laura before he goes to his greenhouse to get a flower for Laura's grave. She confides in Harold and starts to develop feelings for him. While looking at Harold's flowers, she discovers Laura's secret diary. While having lunch with Harold, Donna offers to tell her life story to him if she could read Laura's diary, but agrees but says that he will read it to her and that it can't leave the room. She snatches the diary and walks outside of Harold's house. He steps outside and collapses. Out of guilt, Donna apologizes and returns the diary. Still seeking answers to Laura's murder, Donna and Maddy set up a plan to steal the diary. She meets with Harold and discusses a memory she had with Laura when she was a kid where they went skinny-dipping with a group of older boys. She says that this experience was the first time that she fell in love, with one of the boys named Tim. Harold kisses her. When Harold leaves, Maddy goes inside to search for the diary. She tries to distract Harold while Maddy searches for the diary, but their plan is foiled.

Donna tells the authorities that Harold has Laura's diary, but her claims are met with skepticism, as they already discovered a diary at the Palmer house. Harold later commits suicide, and Donna feels responsible. Donna soon reconnects with James. At the diner, Donna hear Deputy Andy saying, "J'ai une âme solitaire," and she questions him about Mrs. Tremond, but he says that this line was actually in Harold Smith's suicide note and that it means, "I am a lonely soul." Donna goes to Cooper and tells him about Mrs. Tremond. They go to her house, but a different Mrs. Tremond answers the door. She gives Donna an envelope from Harold, containing a page from Laura's diary, where she described a dream of being in a red room, the mysterious "BOB", and her premonition of her own death the following night. Donna goes to the Palmer house to deliver a tape for Maddy, and becomes fearful upon learning that Maddy didn't make it home. James leaves Twin Peaks and Donna soon discovers a connection between her mother and hotel magnate Ben Horne. Intrigued, Donna follows her to the Great Northern Hotel, discovering that she planned to meet Horne. Audrey, Horne's daughter, assists her with her investigation. Upon discovering flowers sent to her mother, Donna finds her birth certificate and discovers that it does not list a father; she then realizes that Ben Horne is her biological father.

Donna Hayward has a supporting role in the prequel films Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me and Twin Peaks: The Missing Pieces. In Fire Walk With Me, Donna is first seen walking to school with Laura. After school, they go to Donna's home, where they talk about Laura's boyfriend Bobby Briggs and James Hurley, the latter Donna describes as "the one." The next day, a distraught Laura shows up at Donna's house and asks if she is her best friend. The next night, Donna goes to Laura's house, where Laura is preparing to go out and refuses to tell Donna where she is going. Donna follows Laura to the Roadhouse, and finds out that her best friend is working as a prostitute. Intrigued, Donna enters the Roadhouse and kisses one of Laura's customers. Despite Laura's initial reluctance, Donna goes with her and two men up to a brothel in Canada, where an orgy is taking place. There, Donna refuses an offer of cocaine, but nevertheless joins the party, and eventually takes her shirt off and begins making out with several strange men. Laura pulls one such man off of Donna, covers her up and takes her home. The next day, Laura begs Donna not to become like her.

Donna is referenced numerous times in Jennifer Lynch's novel The Secret Diary of Laura Palmer.[4] In Mark Frost's novel Twin Peaks: The Final Dossier, it is revealed that upon graduating high school, Donna leaves Twin Peaks to pursue an education at Hunter College in New York City. Soon after, she finds an unexpected career as a fashion model, a job that brings her international recognition. Donna becomes a prominent name in the tabloids, which run sensationalized stories about her love life that eventually overshadow her career. She marries a man twice her age and soon becomes addicted to drugs and alcohol as a means to cope with the decline of her career. After her husband files for divorce, Donna seeks help through substance rehabilitation. After overcoming her addictions, Donna reconnects with her father and comes to live with him as she pursues a degree in nursing.[2]