David Lynch death: Steven Spielberg, Kyle MacLachlan, Naomi Watts and more pay tribute to auteur
Collaborators including Nicolas Cage and Lara Flynn Boyle have shared their thoughts on the director’s death
David Lynch, the celebrated director of avant-garde films such as Eraserhead, Mulholland Drive and The Elephant Man and the much-loved TV show Twin Peaks, has died at the age of 78.
His family announced his death in a Facebook post on Thursday (16 January), writing, “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.’”
Lynch developed a singular style known for unsettling visuals, stream-of-consciousness storytelling, and kitsch soundtracks. As a director he walked a tightrope between his artistic sensibilities and his inexplicable popular appeal among the more conventional moviegoing public, with New Yorker film critic Pauline Kael labelling him “the first populist surrealist”.
In his frequent collaborations with Hollywood luminaries such as Laura Dern, Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, Naomi Watts, Jack Nance and Harry Dean Stanton, the director leaves behind an oeuvre that rivals those of the medium’s most accomplished auteurs.
Many stars who worked with Lynch, including Dern, MacLachlan, Watts and Nicolas Cage, have paid tribute to the director, with Steven Spielberg and Ron Howard also honouring their fellow filmmaker.
Find the tributes to Lynch below.
Guardians of the Galaxy director James Gunn pays tribute
James Gunn, director of Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy and DC’s upcoming Superman, paid tribute on X/Twitter writing: “RIP David Lynch. You inspired so many of us.”
David Lynch, Twin Peaks and Elephant Man director, dies aged 78
Speaking to Sight & Sound magazine last year, Lynch revealed he was diagnosed with emphysema due to smoking throughout his life and said he could not “go out” due to Covid fears.
“I’ve gotten emphysema from smoking for so long and so I’m homebound whether I like it or not. It would be very bad for me to get sick, even with a cold,” he said, revealing that he “can only walk a short distance before” he’s “out of oxygen”.
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David Lynch, Twin Peaks and Elephant Man director, dies aged 78
Patton Oswalt jokes about Lynch’s surreal style
Comedian and actor Patton Oswalt jokes about Lynch’s surreal style in his tribute, writing: “David Lynch, RIP. At least that’s what the horse wearing a fez just told me* in a dream. (*Backwards and in Swedish)”
Questlove remembers Lynch stressing 'the importance of not overworking’
The Roots drummer Questlove remembered Lynch, a noted advocate of Transcendental Meditation, for his personal influence on him.
On Instagram he shared photographs of the pair together, writing: “Lynch was the first human/creative that stressed the importance of not overworking and taking time out to breathe & meditate and searching for creative avenues not in my comfort zone (he was my guiding creative light for the Somethingtofoodabout book from 2016. Took a liking to me always inviting me to his events and parties and really stressing the importance of self care. Thank You.”
Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan calls Lynch ‘a true artist'
In 1997, The Smashing Pumpkins contributed the song “Eye” to the soundtrack of Lynch’s film Lost Highway.
Frontman Billy Corgan, who Lynch once called a “magical musician”, shared a statement about the late director on social media, writing: “Truly saddened to hear of the passing of David Lynch. Working with him was like a dream out of one of his movies, and I treasure the times I got to speak with him and hear first-hand his vision for a film. I truly encourage anyone who loves movies and television to watch all that David produced. He was a true artist, through and through.”
Flying Lotus calls Lynch ‘my hero'
Producer, DJ and rapper Flying Lotus shared a brief statement on Lynch’s death, writing on social media: “My hero. And one of the world’s greatest artists of any era…. He knew.”
Ron Howard praises Lynch’s ‘radical experimentation'
Oscar-winning director and Happy Days star Ron Howard paid tribute to Lynch on social media, writing: “#RIPDavidLynch, a gracious man and fearless artist who followed his heart & soul and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema.”
Steven Spielberg calls Lynch a ‘singular, visionary dreamer'
Steven Spielberg, who cast Lynch as John Ford in his autobiographical film The Fabelmans, has remembered the director as one of his heroes.
In a statement to Variety, Spielberg said: “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.
“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.”
Harmony Korine calls Lynch ‘truly a GOAT'
Spring Breakers and The Beach Bum director Harmony Korine says Lynch was “a Mount Rushmore-level director.”
In a statement to IndieWire, Korine said: “David Lynch was one of our great artists, a Mount Rushmore-level director, truly a GOAT. He changed a lot of people’s lives. There will never be another one like him, because he made films at a point in history where nothing like that had ever been experienced before.
“We live in a time where everything has been seen. Lynch invented a new language. He was a once in a generation talent who absorbed the embers of America’s wildness. He embraced his own inner logic and filtered it through a subconscious magic. He created worlds and unmatched vibrations. He hit on things that were inexplicable and sacred and beyond articulation. He is a treasure. His work will live forever.”
Caroline Polachek says Lynch is the ‘greatest artist of our lifetime'
Musician Caroline Polachek wrote in a statement on Instagram: “David Lynch is the greatest artist of our lifetime.
“We’re so lucky to have his perspective on contemporary life, to counter (and provide the subtitles below) all the literal, logical, and linear thinking we’re fed - and to approach the ineffabilities of time and emotion with his sophistication, style and soulful curiousity.
“My heart is broken that he is gone, and that his final gestures didn’t just feel final, but were.
“RIP and thank you to a true visionary.”
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