David Lynch, the legendary director behind Twin Peaks and Mulholland Drive, has died aged 78.
His family announced the news in a Facebook post:
“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.”
In 2024, Lynch announced an emphysema diagnosis after a lifetime of smoking, warning he was incapable of directing. He said at the time:
“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.”
Born in Missoula, Montana, in 1946, Lynch was famous surreal neo-noir mystery movies, with his first feature-length film, 1977’s Eraserhead, a midnight movie success. He was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Director for the biographical drama The Elephant Man (1980), and the mystery films Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Drive (2001). He also directed 1990’s Wild at Heart and the 1984 adaptation of Dune, the latter of which bombed at the box office before enjoying cult classic status.
But Lynch is perhaps best known for his early 90s mystery drama series Twin Peaks, which follows an investigation led by FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (Kyle MacLachlan) into the murder of local teenager Laura Palmer (Sheryl Lee). Twin Peaks was canceled after just two seasons, but Lynch revived the show with 2017’s limited series Twin Peaks: The Return.
Photo by Michael Buckner/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
