David Lynch reveals getting diagnosed with Emphysema due to his smoking habit, says he fears going out due to COVID

David Lynch revealed that he is diagnosed with emphysema and fears going out of his house.

While speaking to Sight & Sound Magazine for its September Issue, David Lynch revealed he got emphysema since he had been smoking for a long period of time. As per MayoClinic.org, Emphysema is a type of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease causing shortness of breath. One of the main causes of this condition is smoking.

"I've gotten emphysema from smoking for so long and so I'm homebound whether I like it or not. And now, because of COVID, it would be very bad for me to get sick, even with a cold."

David added he can only walk for a short distance before he's "out of oxygen." The famous director, who has directed movies like Mullholland Drive and Blue Velvet, mentioned he's unlikely to direct any more films unless he could do so remotely.

"I would do it remotely if it comes to it. I wouldn't like that so much."

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"I do love tobacco - the smell of it" — David Lynch

On Monday after reports of his health condition went viral, David Lynch took to X to announce that he has emphysema.

"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 enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema."

David has been vocal about his love for smoking and tobacco. In November 2019, while speaking to The Guardian, American filmmaker and animator Chris Sanders mentioned Lynch liked organic tobacco and often smoked American Spirit Cigarettes.

While doing a photo shoot of the director, Sanders captured him smoking, which he mentioned was "very much a part of his character."

In his recent tweet, David mentioned that he had quit smoking over two years ago. David further revealed he recently had many medical tests done, which showed he's in "excellent shape except for emphysema." He said he is "filled with happiness" and will "never retire."

In a recent interview with Sight & Sound Magazine, David Lynch opened up about his complicated relationship with smoking. David said he "absolutely loved" smoking and was "part of the art" for him." But since it was killing him, he "had to quit."

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After his last full-length feature film in 2006, Inland, David has been directing short films such as What did Jack Do? (2017) and The Mystery of the Seeing Hand (2020). His last major directing project was the reboot of Twin Peaks for Showtime in 2017.

In June, the four-time Oscar nominee announced that he's working on a new music album with Chrystabell, who played FBI agent Tammy Preston in Twin Peaks: The Return.