Director David Lynch has died. Photo / Getty Images
By RNZ
Iconic film and television director David Lynch has died.
His family announced his death in a Facebook post on Friday (NZT).
“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’.”
He previously revealed he suffered from emphysema after many years of smoking.
He was 78.
Lynch, an auteur director known for his surrealistic and idiosyncratic style, has been a major presence in film and a fan favourite since his 1977 independent horror Eraserhead.
However, he was probably best known for his work on films Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive and television show Twin Peaks.
His 1980 film The Elephant Man was nominated for eight Oscars.
Lynch leaves behind daughter Jennifer, 56, from his marriage to his first wife Peggy Reavey, and sons Riley, 42, and Austin, 33, from his second marriage to Mary Fisk.
He was married to Mary Sweeney from 2006 to 2007, and then went on to wed Emily Stofle and welcome a daughter Lula, now 12, with her. The pair separated in December 2023.
Lynch was diagnosed with emphysema in 2020, sharing at the time that he had “enjoyed smoking too much” in his youth.
However, it took another two years for him to stop smoking. He told People last year, “I saw the writing on the wall. and it said, ‘You’re going to die in a week if you don’t stop. I could hardly move without gasping for air.
“Quitting was my only choice.”
Despite his condition, he said, “I have a positive attitude focused on the body healing itself. It’s tough living with emphysema. I can hardly walk across a room. It’s like you’re walking around with a plastic bag around your head.”
Others in the film industry have shared their tributes to the director. James Gunn wrote on X, “RIP David Lynch. You inspired so many of us.”
Producer, director and actor Joe Russo wrote, “No one saw the world like David Lynch. The world lost a master of cinema today. RIP.”
Director and producer Ron Howard paid tribute to Lynch as a “gracious man and fearless artist who followed his heart and soul and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema.”
More to come
- RNZ, additional reporting NZ Herald
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