David Lynch says he will “never retire” despite emphysema diagnosis

Movie fans were shocked by the news that David Lynch has become “homebound” after a diagnosis of emphysema due to his many years of smoking, but fear not, this doesn’t mean that the great director has any plans to retire.

In a post on X/Twitter, Lynch clarified his comments and let fans know that he won’t be retiring anytime soon.

“Ladies and Gentlemen, 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,” Lynch wrote. “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. Love, David.“

Lynch revealed his emphysema diagnosis during an interview with Sight and Sound magazine, confessing that he now lives in “relative isolation” and rarely leaves his house. “I’ll tell you, I’ve gotten emphysema from smoking for so long, and so I’m homebound whether I like it or not. I can’t go out. And I can only walk a short distance before I’m out of oxygen,” Lynch explained. “Smoking was something that I absolutely loved but, in the end, it bit me. It was part of the art life for me: the tobacco and the smell of it and lighting things and smoking and going back and sitting back and having a smoke and looking at your work, or thinking about things; nothing like it in this world is so beautiful. Meanwhile, it’s killing me. So I had to quit it. And now, because of Covid, it would be very bad for me to get sick, even with a cold. So I probably would be directing from my house. And because of Covid, they’ve now invented ways where you can direct from home. I wouldn’t like that so much. I like to be there amongst the thing and get ideas there. But I would try to do it remotely, if it comes to it.” Lynch added that while he doesn’t know what the future will bring, he remains hopeful.

The director’s last major project was Twin Peaks: The Return in 2017. He directed all 18 episodes of the series and co-wrote the scripts with Mark Frost. He does have several projects in the works, including an animated movie called Snootworld.