David Lynch, the visionary and unconventional filmmaker known for classics like Blue Velvet and Twin Peaks, has passed away at the age of 78.
The news was shared on Lynch's Facebook page on Thursday, stating, "It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We ask for some privacy during this time. There’s now a huge void in the world without him. But, as he would say, 'Keep your eye on the donut and not the hole.'"
Last year, Lynch revealed that he had been diagnosed with emphysema, which meant he could no longer leave his house to direct. A long-time smoker, his smoking habit was prominently featured in the 2016 documentary David Lynch: The Art Life, where a cigarette was a constant presence throughout its 90-minute runtime.
In addition to his work in film, Lynch recorded multiple music albums. His latest, Cellophane Memories, was a collaborative effort with Twin Peaks' Chrystabell, released in 2024. He also directed music videos for artists like Chris Isaak and Nine Inch Nails. His films featured performances from major music stars such as Sting and David Bowie.
Lynch's breakout feature film debuted in 1977 with Eraserhead, a black-and-white experimental film about a malformed child and the man assigned to care for him. This acclaimed work led to Lynch being selected to direct the film adaptation of The Elephant Man in 1980, which received eight Academy Award nominations.
His 1984 big-budget adaptation of Dune was one of the few missteps in his career. However, he bounced back two years later with Blue Velvet, a masterpiece centered on a sadistic kidnapper and the young man caught up in a small-town mystery.
Lynch further delved into small-town drama with the groundbreaking 1990 TV series Twin Peaks, a critical and commercial success that aired for two seasons. In 1992, he expanded the universe with the feature film Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me and revived the series in 2017 with Twin Peaks: The Return, which became one of the most acclaimed TV shows of the 2010s.
Throughout his career, Lynch produced some of the most challenging and celebrated works of the past fifty years, including 2001's Mulholland Drive and 2006's Inland Empire, his last major feature film. He also directed numerous short films over the decades.
