'He Will Always Be Solid Gold': David Lynch Remembered by Wild at Heart Star Nicolas Cage

Nicolas Cage reflected on the passing of David Lynch, calling the Wild At Heart director ‘solid gold.’ Lynch’s family confirmed the filmmaker had died aged 78 earlier today.

Cage was the star of Lynch’s 1990 black comedy road trip film Wild at Heart, and he recalled his time working with the famed director to Deadline, describing Lynch as “a singular genius in cinema, one of the greatest artists of this or any time.” Cage went on to talk about his experience on the set of Wild at Heart. “He was brave, brilliant, and a maverick with a joyful sense of humor. I never had more fun on a film set than working with David Lynch. He will always be solid gold.“

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Wild at Heart saw Cage play the role of “Sailor” Ripley, who serves time for a self-defense killing and then reunites with his girlfriend Lula Fortune (Laura Dern). Lula’s mother, Marietta (Dern’s real life mother, Diane Ladd), hires a hit man to kill Sailor in a desperate attempt to keep him away from her daughter. Other cast members included Willem Dafoe, Crispin Glover, Isabella Rossellini and Harry Dean Stanton.

Wild at Heart, which was based on Barry Gifford’s novel of the same name, was noted for allusions to both The Wizard of Oz and Elvis Presley. Test screenings for the film were poorly received, and Lynch estimated 300 people walked out because of the film’s violent and sexual content. Following its release, the movie won the Palme d’Or at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival and grossed $14 million against a $10 million budget. Ladd’s role landed her Academy Award and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actress.

Lynch Was Known for Directing Many Cult Classic Films

Lynch’s death was confirmed earlier today on his official Facebook page, where his family shared a message about his passing. In 2024, Lynch announced he was suffering from emphysema and had become housebound because of his declining health. “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.” Lynch’s career spanned more than fifty years and saw him create pieces of film, television and other media that went on to become cult classics.

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Lynch’s first feature-length film was the surrealist independent Eraserhead in 1977. He was also known for the mystery films Blue Velvet (1986) and Mulholland Drive (2001). Lynch also directed the 1984 epic space opera adaptation of Dune, which went on to garner a cult following despite underperforming at the box office. For television, Lynch created the ABC series Twin Peaks with Mark Frost, for which he was nominated for two Primetime Emmy Awards for Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series and Outstanding Writing for a Drama Series. Lynch also developed and directed Twin Peaks‘ 2017 limited revival series.

Lynch is survived by two daughters and two sons.

Source: Deadline