David Lynch, the legendary filmmaker behind projects like Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, as well as the creator of the television series Twin Peaks, died at 78, according to a statement from his family.
The news was confirmed on Lynch’s official Facebook post by his family, who shared a photo of Lynch along with the news.
“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” reads the family’s statement. “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.”
Lynch first studied painting before jumping into the world of film in the late 1960s. His feature debut, 1977’s Eraserhead, saw success as a midnight movie and propelled him into stardom as a filmmaker. He went on to make the 1980 drama The Elephant Man, which earned him an Academy Award nomination, and then helm the infamous 1984 adaptation of Dune.
In 1986, Lynch would direct one of his most famous films, the neo-noir mystery thriller blue Velvet starring Kyle MacLachlan (who would go on to be a longtime collaborator with Lynch), Isabella Rossellini, Dennis Hopper, and Laura Dern (another future collaborator). The film went on to become a cult classic, and is now often regarded as one of the best films of all time.
In 1990, Lynch would create perhaps his most well-known and famous project, the television series Twin Peaks, a surreal mystery drama that aired on ABC for two seasons. In 1992, he directed Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me, a prequel film, and more than 20 years later, he returned to Twin Peaks with the critically acclaimed third season of Twin Peaks.
Following Twin Peaks, Lynch would go on to direct 1997’s Lost Highway, as well as 2001’s Mulholland Drive, a surrealist neo-noir mystery film starring Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, and Laura Harring, that garnered massive praise. Lynch’s last film was 2006’s Inland Empire.
Lynch was honored with an Honorary Academy Award in 2019, and throughout his life, earned numerous other accolades, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2006. He is often regarded as one of the most influential filmmakers of the modern era of movies. Outside of his work in film, Lynch also became extremely popular throughout social media for his dry humor-filled “weather reports” that he would share on the radio and social media for years.
ComingSoon extends its condolences to Lynch’s family and friends at this time.
