Hollywood icon and Academy Award-winning filmmaker Steven Spielberg has offered a heartfelt tribute to visionary director David Lynch, and has also recalled his movies.

Steven Spielberg, Ron Howard and more pay tribute to auteur - The ‘Eraserhead’ and ‘Elephant Man’ director was described as ‘the first populist surrealist’

Lynch’s death inspired tributes from fellow filmmakers, celebrities and past collaborators, who praised his visionary work and singular voice.

The filmmaker, who died this week, mixed the menacing with the everyday, the banal with the surreal and sublime.

Both Steven Spielberg and David Lynch are legendary filmmakers, and the Jaws director admires the Twin Peaks creator greatly. In fact, he cast Lynch as John Ford in The Fabelmans back in 2022. In a statement published Variety, Spielberg noted that role and his relationship with the director, saying:

Longtime friend and collaborator Kyle MacLachlan paid tribute to Lynch on Instagram: “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. He clearly saw something in me that even I didn’t recognize. I owe my entire career, and life really, to his vision.

Numerous leaders in entertainment, celebrities, and former collaborators have mourned the death of revolutionary filmmaker David Lynch.

David Lynch, who died Thursday at age 78, was remembered by his many collaborators, as well as those he inspired, such as "Donnie Darko" director Richard Kelly.

Find out where to stream as many David Lynch movies as you can – including "Mulholland Drive" and "Twin Peaks."

The director of 'Blue Velvet,' 'Twin Peaks' and 'Mulholland Drive' died aged 78. "I loved him so much," said 'Blue Velvet' star Isabella Rossellini.

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