Steven Spielberg, 'Twin Peaks' star Kyle MacLachlan, more remember David Lynch

The entertainment industry is mourning the loss of David Lynch, an iconic filmmaker with a style so distinct that his last name was often used as an adjective.

Lynch's family confirmed his death in a Facebook post on Thursday, which said there is "a big hole in the world now that he's no longer with us." The acclaimed director of "Eraserhead" and co-creator of "Twin Peaks" was 78.

The family did not share a cause of death. Lynch revealed last year that he was suffering from emphysema and could not leave the house.

Tributes quickly began pouring in from fans and colleagues, including fellow director Steven Spielberg, who cast Lynch in his 2022 film "The Fabelmans." Lynch portrayed director John Ford, who meets aspiring filmmaker Sammy Fabelman (Gabriel LaBelle), a fictionalized version of Spielberg. The scene was based on a real-life encounter Spielberg had with Ford.

"I loved David's films," Spielberg said in a statement to USA TODAY. "'Blue Velvet,' 'Mulholland Drive' and '(The) Elephant Man' defined him as a singular, visionary dreamer who directed films that felt handmade."

"I got to know David when he played John Ford in 'The Fabelmans.' Here was one of my heroes — David Lynch playing one of my heroes. It was surreal and seemed like a scene out of one of David's own movies. The world is going to miss such an original and unique voice. His films have already stood the test of time and they always will."

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Kyle MacLachlan says he owes 'entire career' to David Lynch

Actor Kyle MacLachlan, who starred in several of Lynch's works, paid tribute to Lynch in an emotional Instagram post Thursday, calling the filmmaker an "enigmatic and intuitive man with a creative ocean bursting forth inside of him."

"Forty-two years ago, for reasons beyond my comprehension, David Lynch plucked me out of obscurity to star in his first and last big budget movie," wrote MacLachlan, who starred as Paul Atreides in 1984's "Dune." "He clearly saw something in me that even I didn't recognize. I owe my entire career, and life really, to his vision."

"While the world has lost a remarkable artist, I've lost a dear friend who imagined a future for me and allowed me to travel in worlds I could never have conceived on my own," he continued. "His love for me and mine for him came out of the cosmic fate of two people who saw the best things about themselves in each other."

He concluded: "I will miss him more than the limits of my language can tell and my heart can bear. My world is that much fuller because I knew him and that much emptier now that he's gone."

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James Gunn, Nicolas Cage, more pay tribute to David Lynch

On X, director Ron Howard remembered Lynch as a "gracious man and fearless artist who followed his heart (and) soul and proved that radical experimentation could yield unforgettable cinema."

"Guardians of the Galaxy" director James Gunn wrote that Lynch "inspired so many of us," while comedian Patton Oswalt wrote, "David Lynch, RIP. At least that's what the horse wearing a fez just told me* in a dream. (*Backwards and in Swedish)."

Lynch's films were known for their surreal atmosphere, so much so that movies with a similar feeling were often described as "Lynchian." One film that many critics compared to Lynch's work was "I Saw the TV Glow," and its director, Jane Schoenbrun, offered a tribute on X.

"Like Kafka, like Bacon, he dedicated his life to opening a portal," Schoenbrun said of Lynch. "He was the first to show me another world, a beautiful one of love and danger I sensed but had never seen outside sleep. Thank you David your gift will reverberate for the rest of my life."

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On Instagram, Questlove shared photos of himself with Lynch, whom he said was his "guiding creative light" on his book "Something to Food About." The musician said Lynch was the "first human/creative that stressed the importance of not overworking and taking time out to breathe (and) meditate and searching for creative avenues not in my comfort zone," and he took "a liking to me always inviting me to his events and parties and really stressing the importance of self-care."

In a statement to Deadline, Nicolas Cage, who starred in Lynch's film "Wild at Heart," also said the director "was brave, brilliant, and a maverick with a joyful sense of humor," adding, "I never had more fun on a film set than working with David Lynch. He will always be solid gold."

Contributing: Edward Segarra, USA TODAY

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: David Lynch tributes: Steven Spielberg, more stars honor director