Legendary film director David Lynch has passed away at the age of 78
News of his death comes courtesy of a post on his official Facebook page.
“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” the statement reads.
“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 concluded.
The last line is a reference to Lynch’s fondness for delivering meteorological reports on social media, one of many quirky habits that made him a far more visible and beloved figure than most filmmakers.
A Career Without Compromise
The magnitude of Lynch’s contributions to the world of cinema cannot be overstated.
In fact, it could be said that no other director in the history of the medium has done quite so much to bring avant-grade “arthouse” fare to the masses.
In addition to directing such boundary-pushing films as Eraserhead, Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, Lynch co-created the groundbreaking television series Twin Peaks.
The show was canceled at ABC after two acclaimed seasons in the early 1990s.
But in 2017, it was revived for a third season on Showtime, where it continued to wow critics and audiences.
David Lynch’s Cause of Death
While no official cause of death has been announced, Lynch revealed in August of 2024 that he had developed emphysema after a lifetime of smoking.
“I’m homebound whether I like it or not,” he told Sight and Sound magazine at the time. “I can’t go out. And I can only walk a short distance before I’m out of oxygen.”
Lynch added in a social media post that he was otherwise “in excellent shape,” adding, “I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire.”
Lynch’s outsized personality, his unconventional approach to art, and his refusal to discriminate against so-called “low” culture (his long list of acting roles includes voice work as Gus the Bartender on Family Guy spinoff The Cleveland Show) made him relevant to numerous generations of film and television fans.
A longtime proponent of art for its own sake, Lynch explained his views on the director’s responsibilities in a memorable 2006 interview:
“There’s no ‘launching a career.’ They call it a film business but money is the last thing a person should be thinking about, in my book,” he said.
“You fall in love with ideas and you get fired up and you go and you try to translate those ideas into cinema. And it’s a beautiful, beautiful journey. And so it has nothing to do with any kind of career. It has to do with the loving of doing.”
David Lynch is survived by his four children, including filmmaker Jennifer Lynch.
His legacy is certain to live on for generations of artists. His unique voice will be greatly missed by many.
David Lynch Cause of Death: Iconic Film Director, ‘Twin Peaks’ Creator Passes … was originally published on The Hollywood Gossip.