David Lynch, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive director, dies aged 78
David Lynch has died aged 78, his family confirmed.
The celebrated director was behind the likes of Mulholland Drive, Elephant Man and beloved TV show Twin Peaks.
Confirming the news of his death, Lynch’s family wrote on Facebook: ‘It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch.
‘We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us.
‘But, as he would say, “Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.”
‘It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.’
Last year, Lynch revealed he had been diagnosed with emphysema after decades of smoking, and said that he was homebound.
However, in August, after concerns from fans, he insisted he wouldn’t let the disease result in his retirement.
At the time, he wrote on X: ‘Ladies and Gentlemen, yes, I have emphysema from my many years of smoking.
‘I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco – the smell of it, lighting cigarettes on fire, smoking them – but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema.
‘I have now quit smoking for over two years. Recently I had many tests and the good news is that I am in excellent shape except for emphysema.
‘I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire.
‘I want you all to know that I really appreciate your concern. Love, David.’
Emphysema is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is caused by damage to the air sacs in the lungs, according to the NHS website.
Born in Missoula, Montana, Lynch began a career in painting before switching to making short films during the 1960s.
In 1977, he made his first feature-length film, Eraserhead, a black and white, surrealist body horror which follows Henry Spencer as he navigates a strange and gloomy industrial landscape filled with strange characters such as The Lady In The Radiator.
Major success came in the 1980s with the release of The Elephant Man, loosely based on the life of Joseph Merrick, a severely deformed man who lived in London in the late 19th century, and Blue Velvet, a neo-noir mystery thriller.
Blue Velvet launched Lynch into the mainstream but prompted controversy with its violent and sexual content.
Lynch has been Oscar-nominated four times including two nods for 1980’s The Elephant Man for directing and adapted screenplay, and two more directing nominations for 1986’s Blue Velvet and 2001’s Mulholland Drive.
Some of his other directing credits included 1984’s Dune, 1990’s Wild At Heart, 1997’s Lost Highway, 1999’s The Straight Story and 2006’s Inland Empire.
In 2019, he received an honorary Academy Award which recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry but have not yet won an Oscar.
Among his numerous accolades across his 58-year career, Lynch won the Golden Lion for lifetime achievement award in 2006.
Lynch achieved worldwide stardom with the release of Twin Peaks, co-created with Mark Frost, in 1990, running until 1991 with its initial two series, which told the story of Dale Cooper, an eccentric FBI agent who visits a quaint town to investigate the murder of 17-year-old Laura Palmer. He returned to develop and write Twin Peaks: The Return, released in 2017.
Another career milestone was Mulholland Drive, a non-linear tale showing the dark side of Hollywood which earned him the best director award at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival.
His other directing credits included him becoming the first director to adapt Frank Herbert novel Dune in 1984, 1997’s Lost Highway, 1999’s The Straight Story and 2006’s Inland Empire.
Billy Corgan, lead singer of alternative rock band Smashing Pumpkins, who contributed the song Eye to the Lost Highway soundtrack said he was ‘truly saddened’ by the news in a post on X.
He said: ‘Working with him was like a dream out of one of his movies, and I treasure the times I got to speak with him and hear first-hand his vision for a film.
‘I truly encourage anyone who loves movies and television to watch all that David produced. He was a true artist, through and through.’
Lynch also made a foray into music, releasing three of his own studio albums, which saw him work with Yeah Yeah Yeahs singer Karen O and Swedish singer Lykke Li.
He also practiced transcendental meditation, founding The David Lynch Foundation For Consciousness-Based Education And World Peace in 2005.
As a child, the director moved around often with his family and found he had an early gift for visual arts and a passion for travel, which led to his enrolment in the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts and the beginning of a 10-year apprenticeship as a maker of short movies.
His death came just days before his 79th birthday, which would have been on January 20
David Lynch, Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive director, dies aged 78