David Lynch, the seminal director of films such as "Twin Peaks" and "Blue Velvet," has died at the age of 78, his family announced Thursday.

"It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of man and artist David Lynch," a statement posted on Lynch's social media read. "We would like to have some privacy at this time. . Now that he's no longer with us, there's a big hole in the world. But, as he said, 'focus on the donut, not the hole.' It's a great day, all the way. It’s the golden sunshine and the blue sky.”

Lynch, who turns 79 on Monday, revealed in August 2024 that he had been diagnosed with emphysema, a chronic lung disease, after years of smoking.

Lynch was born in Montana in 1946. He is a writer, director and painter who studied at the American Film Institute. He first entered the film industry in 1977, when he turned his thesis project into his first feature film, Eraserhead, a black-and-white surreal indie film that quickly gained notoriety as a midnight movie .

"Eraserhead" caught the attention of producer Mel Brooks, who hired Lynch to direct "The Elephant Man," based on the life and times of the severely deformed Joseph Merrick.

"The Elephant Man" earned Lynch the first of three Academy Award nominations for Best Director, followed by "Blue Velvet" in 1986 and "Mulholland Drive" in 2001, which also earned Lynch won the Best Director Award at the Cannes Film Festival. He previously won the film festival's highest award, the Palme d'Or, for 1990's "Wild at Heart."

Lynch also directed the ill-fated 1984 film adaptation of Frank Herbert's science fiction novel Dune.

But for many, Lynch's most famous contribution to pop culture is his work with Mark Frost on the ABC primetime drama "Twin Peaks," The show instantly captivated viewers with its unique mix of mystery and weirdness, prompting legions of viewers to tune in every week to find out who his fans were. The murder of Laura Palmer, played by Sheryl Lee.

The show originally ran for just two seasons in the early '90s and won three Golden Globe honors in 1991, including Best Television Series and Best Actor for Kyle MacLachlan. In 2017, the show received critical acclaim again in the Showtime limited series Twin Peaks: The Return.

His filmic style coined the term "Lynchian," which refers to "the juxtaposition of surreal or sinister elements with mundane, everyday circumstances."

2019, Lynch Won an Honorary Oscar Award In 2012, he received the American Film Institute Dean's Award Receive an honorary degree from the American Film Institute.