Twin Peaks creator David Lynch dies aged 78: 'There’s a big hole in the world now'
Twin Peaks creator David Lynch has died at the age of 78.
"It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch," his family shared on Facebook, asking for "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," it concluded.
David was best known for creating the 1990 TV series Twin Peaks and his work was known for its surreal qualities, with his style of filmmaking known as "Lynchian", but he had stepped back from directing in recent years after a diagnosis of Emphysema.
Born Missoula, Montana in 1946, David moved to Spokane, Washington as a young boy and later Boise, Idaho where his father worked as a forest research scientist.
As a child, Davied explored the Pacific Northwest woods and mountains, which went on to help inspire the cult TV show Twin Peaks which ran between 1990 and 1991.
The show was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards, and David also co-wrote and directed its film prequel, Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) and the 2017 limited series Twin Peaks: The Return (2017).
After a career as a painter, his first film was the 1977 surrealist film Eraserhead, and he went on to work on the drama The Elephant Man (1980) and the mystery films Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Drive (2001) all of which were nominated for Oscars.
David received an Honorary Academy Award in 2019.
In 1990 he released the romantic crime drama Wild at Heart which won the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, and his 1984 adaptation of Dune, although critically panned, became a cult favorite.
In August 2024 the director revealed that he had been diagnosed with emphysema, a condition that affects the lungs. Emphysema is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and is caused by damage to the air sacs. Symptoms can include a shortness of breath, frequent chest infections and a "smoker's cough".
David confirmed his diagnosis to Sight and Sound for their September issue, telling the publication: "I've gotten emphysema from smoking for so long and so I'm homebound whether I like it or not."
Revealing how much the illness takes out of him, the director revealed he could "only walk a short distance" before running out of breath.
Despite being confined to his house, David wasn't sure about giving up his directing career, which has produced acclaimed films like The Elephant Man and 1984's Dune.
"I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it," he confessed.
