Kyle MacLachlan or Laura Dern has paid tribute to David Lynch, the visionary filmmaker known for “Blue Velvet,” “Mulholland Drive” and “Twin Peaks,” who died at the age of 78.
“Forty-two years ago, for reasons beyond my comprehension, David Lynch plucked me out of obscurity to star in his first and last big budget movie. He clearly saw something in me that even I didn’t recognize, I owe my entire career, and life really, to his vision,” MacLachlan wrote Thursday in an Instagram post.
Lynch’s family announced his death in a statement posted Thursday on his official Facebook page. “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,’” the statement reads. “It’s a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way.”
Lynch revealed in 2024 that he had been diagnosed with emphysema after a lifetime of smoking, and would likely not be able to leave his house to direct any longer.
Dozens of Hollywood figures have posted tributes honoring Lynch, including fellow writer-director Steven Spielberg.
“I loved David’s films. ‘Blue Velvet,’ ‘Mulholland Drive’ and ‘Elephant Man’ defined him as a singular, visionary dreamer who directed films that felt handmade,” Spielberg said in a statement. “I got to know David when he played John Ford in ‘The Fabelmans.’ Here was one of my heroes—David Lynch playing one of my heroes. It was surreal and seemed like a scene out of one of David’s own movies. The world is going to miss such an original and unique voice. His films have already stood the test of time and they always will.”
Lynch infused his dark, surrealistic style into the cult classic series “Twin Peaks” and films such as “Blue Velvet” (1986), “Wild at Heart” (1990) and “Inland Empire” (2006). He was nominated for the best director Oscar three times — for “The Elephant Man” (1980), “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” (2001) — and was also up for best adapted screenplay for “The Elephant Man.” In 2019, he received the Academy Honorary Award for his contributions to cinema.
More to come…
