The deadly illness preventing director David Lynch from leaving his home

"Ladies and Gentlemen,..."

"Ladies and Gentlemen, yes, I have emphysema from my many years of sm0king. I have to say that I enjoyed sm0king very much, and I do love t0bacc0 - the smell of it, lighting c i g a r e t t e s on fire, smoking them -- but there is a price to pay for this enjoyment, and the price for me is emphysema."

Emphysema

This is how bluntly and directly the tweet begins in which legendary director David Lynch, 78, announced to the world that he has emphysema, a lung disease that causes difficulty breathing.

He quit smoking two years ago

"I have now quit sm0king for over two years," Lynch added. "Recently I had many tests and the good news is that I am in excellent shape except for emphysema."

"I will never retire"

But for his fans, he added a hopeful message: "I am filled with happiness, and I will never retire. I want you all to know that I really appreciate your concern."

He doesn't leave his house

Alarms had already been raised hours before he sent this tweet, following the publication of an interview with the filmmaker in the magazine Sight and Sound, in which he talked about an illness that forced him to be confined at home.

A cold could turn lethal

The reason for his isolation is that by staying secluded, he avoids catching any respiratory illness. “Even a cold” can have serious consequences with his condition.

Limited lung capacity

In the interview, he also acknowledged that his lung capacity is now so limited that he can only walk short distances before running out of breath.

How will he keep working?

To avoid speculation or misunderstandings, the 'Twin Peaks' and 'Blue Velvet' director tweeted to clarify his situation and, most importantly, to state that he will continue to work.

Goodbye sets, hello remote work

David Lynch confirmed that he is open to remote directing, although he prefers to be in the middle of the chaos and work spontaneously on set. But that's no longer possible.

Pending projects

One of his upcoming works could be 'Antelope Don't Run Anymore,' a script he wrote in 2010 that might be brought to the screen, along with 'Snootworld,' an animated film he has been working on for 20 years and mentioned in the interview. Reports suggest he has had the projects turned down. Maybe this news will force studios to pick him up!

Bittersweet....

But despite the bad news regarding his health, it's a relief to know that the genius behind 'Mulholland Drive' and 'Twin Peaks' will stay active as long as he can.