Legendary filmmaker, musician and visual artist David Lynch has passed away.
News of his death was confirmed by his family, who shared a statement on his official Facebook page Jan. 16 — four days before his 79th birthday.
“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,” his family wrote on Facebook.
“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,” his family added.
It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch. We would…Posted by David Lynch on Thursday, January 16, 2025
Lynch, who was named “the most important film-maker of the current era” by “The Guardian” in 2007 — ahead of Martin Scorsese — was as decorated as anyone in the industry.
One of his most notable works, “Twin Peaks,” won three Golden Globes, two Emmys and a Grammy. His 1990 film “Wild at Heart” took home the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival.
He also directed “Mulholland Drive,” “Blue Velvet” and “The Elephant Man” — all three of which were nominated for Academy Awards, but never won.
He was, however, presented with an honorary Oscar for lifetime achievement in 2019.
His dark, surrealistic artistic vision is unlike anything we’ve ever seen in film before — and unlike anything we’ll ever see again.
As a childhood friend explained it in Lynch’s 2018 book, “Room to Dream,” Lynch “always had a cheerful disposition and sunny personality, but he’s always been attracted to dark things.”
“That’s one of the mysteries of David,” the friend added.
Lynch was diagnosed with emphysema in 2024

In an interview with “Sight and Sound,” published in August, Lynch revealed that he was now homebound after being diagnosed with emphysema.
“I’ve gotten emphysema from smoking for so long, and so I’m homebound whether I like it or not,” he told the magazine. “I can’t go out. And I can only walk a short distance before I’m out of oxygen.”
Emphysema is a “lung disease that causes shortness of breath,” according to the American Lung Association. It’s unclear at this time if the emphysema contributed to Lynch’s death.
While the disease made it impossible for him to direct films in person — over the fear of catching an illness, such as COVID-19 or a cold — he revealed that it wouldn’t stop him from working.
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yes, I have emphysema from my 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…— David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) August 5, 2024
“Recently I had many tests and the good news is that I am in excellent shape except for emphysema. I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire,” he wrote on X in August.
Several months later, Lynch urged his fans to quit smoking while revealing the extent of his disease.
“I can hardly walk across a room. It’s like you’re walking around with a plastic bag around your head,” he told People magazine in November.
“I really wanted to get this across: Think about it. You can quit these things that are going to end up killing you,” he said at the time.
Lynch is survived by his four children — Jennifer, Austin, Riley and Lulu — whom he shared with four different women, including three of his four wives, per the Washington Post.