On Jan. 16, 2025, it was announced that film director David Lynch had died.
“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. 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,” Lynch’s family said in an official statement on his Facebook page.
Lynch was 78 — his 79th birthday was only five days away at the time of his death.
In the film world, Lynch was a true auteur and a surrealist filmmaker. Lynch was born in Missoula, Mont. on Jan. 20, 1946. In his childhood, Lynch moved around a lot due to his father’s job in the USDA.
Lynch went to college to study painting and fine arts — he had a stint in Europe for only two weeks — but then eventually found himself experimenting with short films at the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts. Lynch met and eventually married another student, Peggy Reavey, whom he fathered three children with.
In 1970, Lynch and his family decided to move to Los Angeles, Cali., to try and pursue filmmaking full-time. After more than six years of production, Lynch’s first full-length feature film, “Eraserherad” (1977) was released. The film saw relative success in the “midnight movie” scene.
“Eraserhead” (1977) was a one-of-a-kind experience in 1977 — the same year that the first “Star Wars” film came out. The movie was funded primarily by the American Film Institute (AFI) in Cali.
Lynch’s sprawling early career continued, where he released “The Elephant Man” (1980), “Dune” (1984) and “Blue Velvet” (1986). Lynch also co-created and produced “Twin Peaks” (1991), a now-classic detective-drama that ran for two seasons before being renewed for a third (and final) season in 2017.
Decades into his filmmaking career, Lynch directed “Mulholland Drive” (2001) and “Inland Empire” (2006). “Inland Empire” ended up being his last feature-length film Lynch would direct.
Over the span on Lynch’s career, he was always described as eccentric — crafting surreal and odd films. Several celebrities and people close to Lynch have put out statements regarding the late filmmaker.
One of whom was Kyle MacLachlan, who starred in several of Lynch’s projects.
“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 said in a post on Instagram.
Naomi Watts, star of Lynch’s “Mulholland Drive” (2001), also put out a heartfelt on the day of his passing.
“It wasn’t just his art that impacted me — his wisdom, humor, and love gave me a special sense of belief in myself I’d never accessed before,” Watts said in a post on Instagram.
Lynch pioneered independent, avant-garde and surrealist cinema. He will be missed.
