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Director David Lynch dies at 78 years old
David Lynch, the filmmaker celebrated for his uniquely dark vision in such movies as "Blue Velvet" and "Mulholland Drive" and the TV series "Twin Peaks," has died just days before his 79th birthday.
LOS ANGELES - David Lynch, renowned filmmaker and artist, has died, according to a post published on his official Facebook account. He was 78 years old.
"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," the post read.
The post did not specify what was the cause of his death.
Lynch died just a few days before his 79th birthday.
Early life
David Lynch arrives to the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences' 11th Annual Governors Awards held at The Ray Dolby Ballroom at Hollywood & Highland Center on Oct. 27, 2019 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Michael Tran/FilmMagic)
Lynch was born on Jan. 20, 1946 in Missoula, Montana, according to IMDB.
He then moved to Boston, Massachusetts, after graduating high school to attend the School of the Museum of Fine Arts.
His first film was released in 1977, titled "Eraserhead" which caught the attention of another filmmaker by the name of Francis Ford Coppola (yes, the mind behind the "Godfather" movies).
Signature surrealist style
Lynch would go on to create film such as "Blue Velvet," "Lost Highway," Mulholland Drive," and the TV series "Twin Peaks."
The dark, surreal and sometimes unsettling artistic style Lynch would use for his work became his signature.
Dig deeper:
Some of his other works include:
- "The Elephant Man" (1980)
- "Dune" (1984)
- "Inland Empire" (2006)
- "Wild at Heart" (1990)
Over the course of his career, the director, writer and occasional actor earned four Oscar nominations and five Emmy nominations, among dozens of other awards.
Health issues
In 2024, Lynch shared that he had been diagnosed with emphysema after a lifelong smoking habit, and couldn't leave his home.
In an interview with Sight & Sound, the director said, "I’ve gotten emphysema from smoking for so long and so I’m homebound whether I like it or not."
"I can't go out," he continued. "And I can only walk a short distance before I'm out of oxygen."
"Smoking was something that I absolutely loved but, in the end, it bit me," he admitted, professing a love for smoking. "…nothing like it in this world is so beautiful. Meanwhile, it's killing me. So I had to quit."
The Source: Information for this article was gathered from David Lynch's official Facebook account, IMDB, and FOX News. This story was reported from Los Angeles.