Naomi Watts remembers David Lynch and how “instrumental” he was in her Hollywood career. In a new interview, the Mulholland Drive star revealed how the filmmaker kept her from quitting acting. “[Lynch] was very instrumental to me even being in America,

David Lynch, an influential director known for his unique and surrealistic films and TV shows including “Blue Velvet” and “Twin Peaks,” has died. He was 78.

Mulholland Drive star Watts said Lynch “put me on the map” with her 2001 break-out film about the dark side of Hollywood, which earned him the award for best director at the 2001 Cannes Film Festival alongside an Oscar nod. “My heart is broken. My Buddy Dave… The world will not be the same without him,” Watts wrote on Instagram.

Watts said "the chips were down" and she was "desperate" for work after "10 years into flunking auditions" in Hollywood before Lynch agreed to work with her.

David Lynch, director of Mulholland Drive and Twin Peaks, dies at 78, leaving behind a groundbreaking legacy in film and TV.

Director-writer David Lynch, who radicalized American film with with a dark, surrealistic artistic vision in films like “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” and network television with “Twin Peaks,” has died. He was 78. Lynch revealed in 2024 that he had been diagnosed with emphysema after a lifetime of smoking, and would likely not be able …

David Lynch has died at 78. The filmmaker was celebrated for his uniquely dark vision in such movies as “Blue Velvet” and “Mulholland Drive” and the TV series “Twin Peaks.”

Find out where to watch 'Twin Peaks,' 'Blue Velvet,' other other David Lynch films. Plus, the two David Lynch movies you can't stream.

"Eraserhead" filmmaker David Lynch brought a dark, thoughtful surrealism to Hollywood. Here are his best movies and TV work, including "Twin Peaks."

Naomi Watts revealed on “Live With Kelly and Mark” (via Entertainment Weekly) that she nearly quit acting before she met the late David Lynch, who cast her as the lead in 2001’s “Mulholland Drive.” The film’s critical acclaim and global success turned Watts into a star after “10 years” of “flunking auditions.

Naomi Watts credits the late David Lynch with saving her Hollywood career. The "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" star shared that the director — whose family announced his passing on Jan. 16 — rescued her stalled career by casting her in 2001’s Mulholland Drive.