David Lynch says he will ‘never retire’ as he reveals emphysema diagnosis
Filmmaker David Lynch has said he will “never retire” as he revealed he has been diagnosed with emphysema.
In a post on X, the 78-year-old Twin Peaks creator said he developed the lung condition after years of smoking, but he had quit the habit two years ago.
Emphysema is a form of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) which is caused by damage to the air sacs in the lungs, according to the NHS website.
Lynch wrote: “Ladies and Gentlemen, yes, I have emphysema from my many years of smoking.
“I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco – the smell of it, lighting cigarettes on fire, smoking them – but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema.
“I have now quit smoking for over two years. Recently I had many tests and the good news is that I am in excellent shape except for emphysema.
“I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire.
“I want you all to know that I really appreciate your concern. Love, David.”
The clarification came following questions about whether Lynch would direct again after he discussed the diagnosis in a new interview with Sight & Sound magazine.
According to reports, he told the outlet: “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.”
Ladies and Gentlemen,
Yes, I have emphysema from my many years of smoking. I have to say that I enjoyed smoking very much, and I do love tobacco – the smell of it, lighting cigarettes on fire, smoking them – but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is…
— David Lynch (@DAVID_LYNCH) August 5, 2024
Discussing his directing future with his health condition, he reportedly told the magazine: “I would do it remotely if it comes to it… I wouldn’t like that so much.”
Born in Missoula, Montana, Lynch has been Oscar nominated four times including two nods for 1980’s The Elephant Man for directing and adapted screenplay, and two more directing nominations for 1986’s Blue Velvet and 2001’s Mulholland Drive.
Some of his other directing credits included 1984’s Dune, 1990’s Wild At Heart, 1997’s Lost Highway, 1999’s The Straight Story and 2006’s Inland Empire.
In 2019, he received an honorary Academy Award which recognises individuals who have made significant contributions to the industry but have not yet won an Oscar.
Lynch co-created the mystery drama Twin Peaks with Mark Frost which ran for two series between 1990 and 1991.
He also returned to develop and write Twin Peaks: The Return, which was released in 2017.
