Director David Lynch reveals he suffers from a lung disease and will have to stay at home for his health

The renowned film director David Lynch, known for his surreal and dark style in films such as “Mulholland Drive” and “Blue Velvet”, has revealed that he suffers from pulmonary emphysema, a disease that has forced him to stay at home and could potentially end his illustrious film career.

In a recent interview with Sight & Sound magazine, the 78-year-old Lynch explained that this condition is a direct consequence of his prolonged smoking habit. "I have developed emphysema from smoking for so long, so I am confined to home, whether I like it or not," declared the filmmaker.

David Lynch confirms he has pulmonary emphysema and talks about his career

Emphysema has severely deteriorated Lynch's respiratory capacity. This condition makes him particularly vulnerable to respiratory diseases, including COVID-19. "Now, because of COVID, it would be very bad for me to get sick, even with a cold," he added in the interview.

Lynch detailed that emphysema has limited his mobility to the point where he can't go out and can only walk short distances before running out of oxygen. Despite his health challenges, Lynch remains somewhat optimistic about future projects. He mentioned the possibility of his 2010 script, "Antelope Don't Run No More," eventually going into production, and also talked about an animated film project called "Snootworld."

Although he expressed doubts about the possibility of returning to in-person directing, he commented, "I would do it remotely if necessary." In response to the concern generated by his statements, Lynch published a statement on the social network X on Monday, clarifying his situation.

David Lynch provides details about his future to calm his fans' concerns

In the statement, he assured that his overall health is excellent, except for this condition. "I am full of happiness and I will never retire," he stated. He also revealed that he quit smoking over two years ago, although he admitted that he enjoyed tobacco a lot. "I loved tobacco: its smell, lighting cigarettes, smoking them. But there is a price to pay for this pleasure, and for me it is emphysema."

Lynch has continued working on smaller projects, such as the short film “What Did Jack Do?”, which premiered on Netflix in 2017. His career includes four Oscar nominations and five Emmy nominations, highlighting his unique and visionary style. The future of the series “Unrecorded Night” and “Snootworld,” projects created by Lynch, is uncertain, as well as the possibility of a fourth season of “Twin Peaks.”