American filmmaker, David Lynch, renowned for his surrealist masterpieces such as Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks, has passed away at the age of 78.
The announcement of his death was made on his official Facebook page by his family, who expressed the profound loss of the visionary director.
“There’s a big hole in the world now that he’s no longer with us,” the statement read. “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.”
Lynch had publicly disclosed in August of 2024 that he had been battling emphysema, a chronic lung condition, after “many years of smoking.”
A maverick in the world of filmmaking, Lynch earned three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, recognized for his work on Blue Velvet,
The Elephant Man, and Mulholland Drive. His final significant project was Twin Peaks: The Return, the 2017 continuation of the acclaimed 1990s television series that cemented his legacy.
In 1990, Lynch received the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival for Wild at Heart. Nicolas Cage, who starred in the film, spoke fondly of the director during an interview with the BBC World Service.
“I used to see his movie Eraserhead in Santa Monica,” Cage shared. “He’s largely instrumental for why I got into filmmaking. He was one of a kind. He can’t be replaced.”
Lynch’s unique approach to cinema drew tributes from across the industry. Fellow filmmaker Steven Spielberg described him as a “singular, visionary dreamer who directed films that felt handmade,” adding, “The world is going to miss such an original and unique voice.”
Director Ron Howard praised Lynch on social media as a “gracious man and fearless artist who followed his heart & soul and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema.”
Meanwhile, musician Moby, for whom Lynch directed the music video Shot In The Back Of The Head, expressed that he was “just heartbroken.”
Known for his dreamlike, often unsettling storytelling, Lynch debuted on the major film scene with Eraserhead in 1977, a project filled with haunting, surreal imagery.
Although it earned mixed reviews initially, many now regard it as a precursor to his later, more polished works.
In a May 2024 interview with BBC Radio Three’s Sound of Cinema, Lynch reflected on his collaborations with composer Angelo Badalamenti, who played a pivotal role in creating the soundscapes that defined Lynch’s films. “And then I say, ‘No, that’s still too fast, it’s not dark enough, it’s not heavy and foreboding enough,’” Lynch recalled.
His contribution to cinema was formally acknowledged in 2020 when he received an honorary Academy Award. Despite his health challenges, Lynch insisted he would “never retire” and described his emphysema diagnosis as the “price to pay” for his smoking habit.
However, his condition worsened within months, and in a November interview with People magazine, Lynch revealed he required oxygen support to walk.
Born in Missoula, Montana, Lynch initially pursued painting before turning to short films in the 1960s, a transition that marked the beginning of an extraordinary career.
