David Lynch revolutionized cinema — and now, Hollywood is paying tribute to the legendary auteur, who died Thursday at the age of 78.

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.

Kyle MacLachlan, Naomi Watts, Isabella Rossellini and other collaborators of David Lynch mourned the filmmaker's death on social media.

With the passing of beloved director David Lynch, many of the actors he worked with – along with countless staunch admirers – have shared emotional tributes and testaments to his legacy.

David Lynch had a great knack for discovering leading lady talent, actresses who would ascend to bigger heights. One of those is Lara Flynn Boyle, who played the role of Donna Hayward in Lynch’s early 1990s ABC series Twin Peaks.

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.

Kyle MacLachlan posted a tribute to his friend David Lynch after his death on Jan. 16. He wrote that he will remain "forever changed" by Lynch's imagination and caring friendship.

"David was in tune with the universe and his own imagination on a level that seemed to be the best version of human," MacLachlan wrote about his friend and mentor of four decades

The distinguished American director David Lynch died yesterday after battling emphysema, a lung disease caused by smoking. Hollywood is mourning the passing of the visionary and iconic director and remembering his legacy in the film industry.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Martin Scorsese has said it is a “sad day for moviemakers, movie lovers, and for the art of cinema” following the death of “visionary” director David Lynch. The US filmmaker, whose work included surrealist TV series Twin Peaks and films such as The Elephant Man, Mulholland Drive and Blue Velvet, died at the age of 78.

David Lynch, iconic filmmaker of Twin Peaks and Blue Velvet, dies at 78. Learn about his cause of death, legacy, and impact on cinema.