New York, New York - David Lynch – the groundbreaking director behind Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, who gained a cult following for his unsettling portraits of American life – has died. He was 78 years old.

"It is with deep regret that we, his family, announce the passing of the man and the artist, David Lynch," read a statement on his official Facebook page.

"There's a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us. But, as he would say, 'Keep your eye on the donut and not on the hole.'"

The cause and location of death were not specified. Lynch, who lived in Los Angeles, had suffered from emphysema after years of heavy smoking.

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He emerged on the indie scene with his groundbreaking 1977 horror Eraserhead, a creepy and now cult classic shot on a shoestring budget over five years because he kept running out of money and had a wife and daughter to support.

Lynch acquired a devoted following with critically adored films including sadomasochist mystery Blue Velvet (1986) and surreal thriller Mulholland Drive (2000).

But he may be best remembered for his mesmerizing 1990s TV series Twin Peaks, which pioneered the box-set genre decades before the streaming era.

"It would be tough to look at the roster of television shows any given season without finding several that owe a creative debt to 'Twin Peaks'," said The Atlantic in 2016 in an article hailing his influence on directors from Quentin Tarantino to the Coen brothers.

Oscar-nominated four times, including a trio of Best Director nods, the filmmaker recognizable by his shock of white hair took home just one honorary statuette, in 2019.

"It's a beautiful day with golden sunshine and blue skies all the way," said the statement from his family, nodding to Lynch's regular, whimsical online postings about the weather.