Hollywood Pays Tribute To David Lynch: Ron Howard Says He “Proved That Radical Experimentation Could Yield Unforgettable Cinema”

Refresh for updates… Director Ron Howard praised his fearlessness, Mulholland Drive star Lee Grant called him “a one of a kind artist,” and director James Gunn cites him as a major inspiration: David Lynch is being remembered today for the unique vision and unforgettable works of art he brought to Hollywood.

Lynch’s family announced today that he had died at age 78.

“In the early ’90s the production manager of a film I was working on built part of our shooting schedule around the broadcast of a TV show the crew refused to miss,” writes Grant. “The show was Twin Peaks. I became fascinated by David Lynch’s dreamscapes along with everyone else on the film.

“Years later,” she continues, “when offered the chance to work with him for a day, I jumped at the opportunity to see how a mind like that directed. It was a day on Mulholland Drive. He was, in actuality, a one of a kind artist.”

Howard writes on X that Lynch was “a gracious man and fearless artist who followed his heart & soul and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema.”

Read on for more reactions. Deadline will update this post as additional tributes come in.

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