David Lynch is truly a visionary when it comes to directing surreal and groundbreaking projects. From the eccentric world of Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet to the groundbreaking series Twin Peaks, Lynch has done some amazing work in the industry.
However, a recent health update has cast a dark shadow on his decades-long illustrious career that has, surprisingly, yet to be honored with an Oscar.
David Lynch Discloses Significant Health Condition
Known for his trailblazing projects David Lynch has been a part of the industry since the 1960’s. Not only movies and shows, but his career is also marked by a variety of experimental movie videos. Further, showcasing the director’s innovative approach to storytelling and visual artistry.
However, in a recent turn of events, Lynch revealed that he’s dealing with a major health crisis, thus casting a black shadow on his filmmaking career. It was revealed (via Sight and Sound) that the director is dealing with a condition called emphysema. He further added:
[I was] smoking for so long, and so I’m homebound whether I like it or not. I can’t go out. And I can only walk a short distance before I’m out of oxygen. Smoking was something that I absolutely loved, but in the end, it bit me. It was part of the art life for me: the tobacco and the smell of it, and lighting things and smoking and going back and sitting back and having a smoke and looking at your work, or thinking about things; nothing like it in this world is so beautiful. Meanwhile, it’s killing me. So I had to quit.
The director added that if he were to direct again, it would have to be in a remote setting. His current health concerns prevent him from leaving his house due to the fear of contracting COVID. The condition that the director is facing is often linked to smoking, environmental pollutants, and occupational exposure to harmful substances.
On the filmmaking front, David Lynch is a celebrated filmmaker with several notable awards to his name, although he has not yet received an Oscar. However, in 2019, Lynch was honored with an Academy Honorary Award for his significant contributions to cinema.
This award further acknowledged his profound impact on the acting industry and his role in shaping the landscape of modern filmmaking.
David Lynch’s Professional Journey Throughout the Years
Even before the recent announcement, the filmmaker had been scaling back his career. Over the past decade, his most noteworthy and prominent project was the Twin Peaks reboot. In this, he helmed the creator seat, and apart from this, he was also involved in a variety of other short movies and music videos as well.
Despite scaling back on his career, David Lynch has been pursuing several new projects and ventures. For instance, he had pitched an animated series titled Snootworld to streaming giant Netflix, but the service did not pick it up. In addition to this, the drama mystery series Unrecorded Night was also canceled during the pandemic.
The filmmaker has been nominated for an Academy Award four times. These include his nomination for Best Director for Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive, and The Elephant Man. The latter one also got him a nomination for Best Adapted Screenplay.
Not only behind the scenes, but Lynch has made notable acting appearances in Lucky and Stephen Spielberg’s The Fabelmans.
