David Lynch announces emphysema diagnosis on X: ‘I have enjoyed smoking very much’

The name David Lynch conjures up many images. Cherry pie. Black coffee. Spikey white hair. Backward-talking little people. Dennis Hopper with an oxygen tank. Whatever the baby was in Eraserhead. Just a potpourri of deeply unsettling imagery, really. And if you’ve ever seen the man at work: smoking. 

Unfortunately, the latter has seemingly ended the director and artist’s in-person working career.

David Lynch confirms emphysema diagnosis

During a new interview with Sight & Sound magazine, the 79-year-old filmmaker revealed he’s been diagnosed with emphysema. As a result, Lynch says he can’t leave his home anymore, because catching Covid or anything related would potentially come with some serious health issues. Lynch also mentions that his physicality is more limited these days, and can only “walk a short distance” before being “out of oxygen.” 

“I’ve gotten emphysema from smoking for so long, and so I’m homebound whether I like it or not,” Lynch said in the interview. “It would be very bad for me to get sick, even with a cold.” As a result, Lynch mentioned that it was unlikely that he’d ever direct, unless he was to do so remotely, which he “wouldn’t like so much.” 

In the aftermath of this interview, Rolling Stone reported that Lynch would never direct again, which certainly got more eyes on the story.

As a result, Lynch took to X to clarify matters to the people in his own words. 

Before you say anything, yes, I know it’s impossible to not read that in his voice.

David Lynch's impact mourned

Regardless, it looks like Agent Gordon Cole ain’t quite hanging up the earpiece just yet. Besides, whatever Lynch could direct within the confines of his own home would probably be fantastically unsettling. And sadly, Netflix recently rejected Lynch’s proposed animated film project, Snootworld.

However, if this is indeed the end, that means Lynch’s final major studio project was 2017’s bonkers, nightmarish, transcendent, amazing Twin Peaks: The Return series for Showtime. More specifically, his final-final filmed statement was this: 

Either way, it’s hard not to feel the loss for the film industry, and fans are wishing him the best. 

Anyway, don’t smoke, kids.