David Lynch, the four-time Oscar-nominated filmmaker behind films such as Blue Velvet and Mulholland Drive, and creator of the television series Twin Peaks, has died. He was 78, just days away from turning 79.
His family shared the news to social media Thursday.
“It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch,” the post 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.”
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The cause of death and location was not immediately available, but Lynch had been public about his emphysema.
Lynch was a onetime artist who broke through in the 1970s with the surreal Eraserhead and rarely failed to startle and inspire audiences and peers in the following decades. His notable releases ranged from the neo-noir Mulholland Drive to the skewed Gothic of Blue Velvet to the eclectic and eccentric Twin Peaks.
His other credits included the crime story Wild at Heart, winner of the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival; the biographical drama The Elephant Man and the G-rated, straightforward The Straight Story.
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This is a developing story. Please check back for updates.
— With files from The Associated Press
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