The world of cinema is mourning the loss of David Lynch, the renowned surrealist film director who sadly passed away at the age of 78 on Wednesday (January 15). His illustrious career spanned half a century, including a number of cult-classic films and the career-defining TV series, Twin Peaks.
Tributes have been pouring in from big-name actors that Lynch arguably ‘put on the map’ including Naomi Watts and Kyle Maclachlan, as well as thousands of fans and admirers on social media. But Lynch lived a full life outside of his work in cinema, too.
Lynch is survived by his four children – Jennifer, 56, Austin, 42, Riley, 33, and Lula, 11. The director had one child during each of his four marriages, the first of which was to Peggy Reavey between 1967-1974. An actress, she starred in Lynch’s film ‘Eraserhead’ in 1977.
Mulholland Drive is one of Lynch’s most critically acclaimed films
(Image: Anthony Harvey/PA Wire)
Lynch was subsequently married to Mary Fisk from 1977-1987, with whom he had Austin, followed by a short-lived marriage to his long-time collaborator Mary Sweeney in 2006. The pair had their son Riley prior to their nuptials in 1992, yet their marriage only lasted one year.In 2009, Lynch married 46-year-old actress Emily Stofle, who starred in 2017’s Twin Peaks. However, it has been revealed that she filed for divorce from the filmmaker in December 2023, though the divorce was not yet finalised at the time of his death.
Lynch is perhaps most well known for the series Twin Peaks, however possibly his most celebrated work is the 2001 neo-noir mystery arthouse film, Mulholland Drive.
The film, which earned him an Oscar nomination for Best Director, starred Justin Theroux, Naomi Watts, Laura Harring, Ann Miller and Robert Forster. Set in Hollywood, it tells the story of an aspiring actress who befriends an amnesiac woman after a car crash, leading them on a journey to uncover her identity amidst a series of bizarre events that blur the line between dream and reality.
In a 2016 poll, Mulholland Drive was voted the greatest film of the 21st century by 177 film critics from 36 countries, who were asked by the BBC to submit their top 10 films released since 2000. Lynch’s masterpiece managed to outshine other notable films such as In the Mood for Love, There Will Be Blood and Spirited Away, reports the Express.
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