David Lynch (1946 - 20025)
David Keith Lynch was an American filmmaker, visual artist, musician, and actor. Widely considered one of the greatest filmmakers of all time, Lynch was often called a "visionary" and received acclaim for
films distinguished by their
surrealist and
experimental qualities. In a career spanning more than five decades, he received
numerous accolades, including the
Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement at the Venice FF in 2006 and an Academy Honorary Award in 2019. Lynch studied painting and made short films before making his first feature, the independent
body horror film
Eraserhead (1977). He earned critical acclaim and nominations for the Academy Award for Best Director for the biographical drama
The Elephant Man (1980), the mystery thriller
Blue Velvet (1986), and the
neo-noir Mulholland Drive (2001). For his romantic crime drama
Wild at Heart (1990), he received the Palme d'Or at the Cannes FF. He also directed the
space opera Dune (1984), the neo-noir
Lost Highway (1997), the
road movie The Straight Story (1999), and the experimental thriller
Inland Empire (2006). Lynch and
Mark Frost created the ABC surrealist horror-mystery series
Twin Peaks (1990–1991), for which he received five Primetime Emmy Award nominations, including Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. Lynch co-wrote and directed its film prequel,
Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992) and a
third season in 2017. His acting career included roles on
Twin Peaks, The Cleveland Show (2010–2013), and
Louie (2012), and in the films
Lucky (2017) and
The Fabelmans (2022). He directed music videos for Chris Isaak, X Japan, Moby, Interpol, Nine Inch Nails and Donovan, and commercials for Dior, YSL, Gucci and the New York City Department of Sanitation. Lynch also worked as a musician, releasing solo albums, and as a furniture designer, cartoonist, animator, photographer, and author. A practitioner of տranscendental մeditation, he founded the David Lynch Foundation to fund meditation lessons for at-risk populations. A lifelong smoker, he died from complications of
emphysema after being evacuated from his home due to the January 2025 Southern California wildfires.
Filmography (selected)Eraserhead (1977), The Elephant Man (1980), Dune (1984), Blue Velvet (1986), Wild at Heart (1990), Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me (1992), Lost Highway (1997), The Straight Story (1999), Mulholland Drive (2001), Inland Empire (2006).