Director David Lynch says he’s housebound — but won’t retire

LOS ANGELES — After initially indicating he would likely have to retire from filmmaking due to health concerns, legendary director David Lynch has rewritten the script — and, in a social-media post Monday, now says he “will never retire.”

The “Blue Velvet” director and “Twin Peaks” creator clarified his future in a statement on X, following an article published in the British magazine Sight & Sound in which he said he cannot leave his LA home over fears he will get COVID-19.

“I’ve gotten emphysema from smoking for so long and so I’m homebound whether I like it or not,” the 78-year-old Lynch told the publication. “It would be very bad for me to get sick, even with a cold.”

The director added he “can only walk a short distance before” running out of oxygen — and that he’s unlikely to direct a film again unless he could shoot remotely.

But Monday, Lynch took to social media to provide a health update — and to reassure his concerned fans.

“Yes, I have emphysema from my many years of smoking,” he wrote. “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.”

The director added that he has 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,” he wrote.

“I want you all to know that I really appreciate your concern.”

Lynch’s last major project was Showtime’s “Twin Peaks: The Return” in 2017. The revival of the ABC series was well received by critics and fans alike. The director’s last movie was 2006’s “Inland Empire.”