David Lynch, the renowned filmmaker, is grappling with significant health challenges due to a lifelong smoking habit. At 78, Lynch was diagnosed with emphysema, a chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, in 2020. Presently, he requires supplemental oxygen just to take a walk.
"A substantial and significant part of my life revolved around smoking," Lynch revealed in a recent interview with People. He shared that he began smoking at the age of 8 but quit two years ago. "I cherished the aroma of tobacco, the flavor of it. I relished lighting cigarettes," he added. "It was integral to my identity as a painter and filmmaker."
The creator of "Twin Peaks," now advocating for others to quit smoking, acknowledged the severe impact it had on his health. "What you sow is what you reap," he stated. Lynch continued, "In the back of every smoker's mind is the notion that it's healthy, so you're essentially playing with fire. It can strike back. I took a risk, and it did."
The celebrated director admitted that he attempted to quit numerous times but would relapse when the going got tough. "I'd have that first cigarette, and it was a direct path to heaven. Then you're back to smoking," he explained. Lynch also emphasized that he never intended to glamorize smoking. "It was a part of life. Some characters would smoke, just as they do in real life," he clarified.
However, the Oscar winner finally quit smoking two years after his emphysema diagnosis. "I saw the writing on the wall, and it said, 'You're going to die in a week if you don't stop,'" Lynch recounted. "I could barely move without gasping for air. Quitting was my only option."
Now, Lynch maintains a positive outlook focused on his body's healing. Nonetheless, he conceded that "living with emphysema is arduous. I can hardly walk across a room. It's akin to walking around with a plastic bag over your head."
Since his diagnosis, the director of "Mulholland Drive" has been confined to his home to avoid severe illness. He described smoking for so long as a "high price to pay" but added, "I don't regret it. It was crucial to me. I wish, like every addict, that what we love is beneficial for us."
Lynch's message to other smokers is clear: "I genuinely want to convey this: Think about it. You can quit these habits that will ultimately kill you. I feel a responsibility to them—and to myself—to say that."
In August, Lynch informed Sight and Sound magazine that he remains homebound because "it would be detrimental for me to get sick, even with a cold." He also mentioned that he would direct "remotely" if necessary.
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