Bad news. Filmmaker David Lynch has confirmed in an interview that he has been diagnosed with emphysema from being a long-term smoker. He also says he won’t be retiring any time soon, no matter what the diagnosis.
The director of Blue Velvet, Dune (1984), and Mulholland Drive says the condition has now left him housebound. He told Sight & Sound:
“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.”
Emphysema is an air-filled enlargement in the body’s tissues and most refers to the permanent enlargement of air spaces – the alveoli – in the lungs. This is known as pulmonary emphysema and is common in long-term smokers.
It is serious, but the condition can be controlled. People with mild emphysema who quit smoking have a normal life expectancy. Those who take steps to reverse health issues can enjoy a fairly normal lifestyle for a long time. Even people whose emphysema is severe have a good chance of surviving for five years or more with some changes.
Lynch’s version is serious enough, as he says he can only walk a short distance before running out of breath. He said he was unlikely to direct another movie unless he could do it remotely.
This immediately led to social media commentary that he was to retire, but he got out on social media himself to push back against this idea:
“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.”
Lynch has received numerous accolades, including the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement in 2006 and an Honorary Academy Award in 2019.