The cause of death for lauded and experimental filmmaker David Lynch has been revealed.
Lynch, who was behind such films as The Elephant Man, Blue Velvet, Mulholland Drive and the seminal television series Twin Peaks, died as a result of cardiac arrest, with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease listed as an underlying cause, per a report by the Los Angeles County Department of Public Health obtained by TMZ. Dehydration is also listed as a significant condition also contributing to the death.
Beloved by the industry — with heartfelt tributes stemming from muses like Kyle MacLachlan and Naomi Watts, executives like Bob Iger and Ted Sarandos and fellow directors like Ron Howard and Martin Scorsese — Lynch died Jan. 15, five days shy of his 79th birthday.
Per Deadline’s obituary, Lynch had been diagnosed with emphysema in 2020, after a years of smoking tobacco since eight years old. Sources told Deadline that he was forced to relocate from his house due to the Sunset Fire Jan. 8 and then took a turn for the worse. In an interview with Sight & Sound magazine last year, Lynch revealed that due to COVID fears and his diagnosis, he no longer could leave the house, which meant if he directed again, it would be remotely. He then followed up the interview with a post on social that he “will never retire” despite his physical challenges.
After his death, Netflix co-CEO Sarandos revealed Lynch was in the process of creating a new limited series for the streamer: “It was a David Lynch production, so filled with mystery and risks but we wanted to go on this creative ride with this genius. First COVID, then some health uncertainties lead to this project never being produced but we made it clear that as soon as he was able, we were all in,” he said in part.
According to the county certificate, Lynch was cremated and his remains were buried Jan. 22 at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery.
