Lynch was recognized for his strange and surprising sequences and was honored with the 2019 Academy Award for Lifetime Achievement.
David Lynch, famous for films such as Blue Velvet, The Elephant Man and Mulholland Drive, has died at the age of 78.
Lynch’s family announced his death on social media publish on Thursday, without providing information on the cause of death.
“We would appreciate some privacy at this time. There is a big hole in the world now that he is no longer with us. But, as he would say, ‘Keep your eye on the donut, not the hole,'” the post reads. “It’s a beautiful day with golden sun and blue skies all the way.”
Born in Montana in the western United States, the acclaimed filmmaker, writer and artist — who earned three Academy Award nominations for Best Director and one nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay — has gained fame for his unique and captivating visions on the silver screen.
Inspired by the shabby part of Pennsylvania during his time studying art in the 1960s at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts, Lynch produced the bizarre, dreamlike film Eraserhead in 1977.
It was his first major feature film and earned him a cult following, with fans including famed director Stanley Kubrick.
He followed that debut with The Elephant Man, which explored the life of a man with physical deformities living in Victorian England. The film was nominated for eight Oscars. Although he failed to win any, The Elephant Man propelled Lynch to a coveted spot on the American film scene.
Some of the biggest names in Hollywood appear in his films: Naomi Watts, Dennis Hopper, Laura Dern and Nicolas Cage. In 1990, he moved to television with the cult classic Twin Peaks, which continued his exploration of macabre and neo-noir themes.
Lynch would later earn the Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in France for his 1990 romantic comedy Wild at Heart.
Lynch, who was days away from turning 79, received an honorary Academy Award in 2019 for his lifetime achievements. In 2006, he also received the Golden Lion for his contribution to cinematography at the Venice Film Festival.
After his death, tributes flooded social media. Fellow director Ron Howard, for example, remembered Lynch as “a kind man and fearless artist who followed his heart and soul and proved that radical experimentation can yield unforgettable cinematography”.
Even journalists talked about their experiences interviewing the late director.
“When I interviewed David Lynch, he asked for my address,” Nick Newman, editor-in-chief of film publication The Film Stage, wrote in a social media post. “A few weeks later this showed up.”
Newman then shared a photo of a coffee mug signed by Lynch.
“He shouldn’t have done this. No one, among the multitudes of people I interviewed, even approached such generosity.”
