Tragic news out of the TV world on Thursday as it has been revealed that prolific director David Lynch has died.
He was 78.
The sad news was broken by Lynch’s camp in a Facebook post on his official account.
“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” the message 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,” the emotional social media post continues.
“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.’”
A cause of death has not been announced at this time of writing, but Lynch opened up about his emphysema diagnosis and how it hindered his ability to direct last year.
Amid countless headlines about his condition, Lynch took to X to reveal that he had “emphysema from many years of smoking.“
“I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco — the smell of it, lighting cigarettes on fire, smoking them — but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema.
“I have now quit smoking for over two years,” he said.
He said that his life was “filled with happiness” and that he would “never retire” before ending the message by telling his fans that he appreciated their concern.
Lynch had a decades-long career in the entertainment industry. He was born in Montana and had a vivid imagination from an early age. He created his first short film while attending the Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts.
His first feature film, Eraserhead, was released in 1977, and while it didn’t reach the success of his later work, it did have a cult following.
Lynch’s breakthrough project was The Elephant Man, which propelled him to stardom and into the awards conversation.
His film career boomed for the following years, and he switched gears in 1990 with Twin Peaks.
The buzzy murder mystery about a young woman’s murder and how it affected the residents of a small town was huge and shone a light on stories that were rarely seen at that time on the small screen.
A third season was produced for Showtime in 2017 and was a resounding success.
It was weird, well-acted, and left its fans wondering what they had just watched, which was par for the course with Twin Peaks.
Other notable works include Dune, Mulholland Drive, Blue Velvet, and Wild at Heart.
Lynch leaves behind four children, Jennifer Lynch, Austin Jack Lynch, Riley Sweeney Lynch, and Lula Boginia Lynch.
Our thoughts are with them. May David Lynch rest in peace.