Naomi Watts remembers David Lynch and how “instrumental” he was in her Hollywood career. In a new interview, the Mulholland Drive star revealed how the filmmaker kept her from quitting acting. “[Lynch] was very instrumental to me even being in America,

David Lynch, an influential director known for his unique and surrealistic films and TV shows including “Blue Velvet” and “Twin Peaks,” has died. He was 78.

Naomi Watts revealed on “Live With Kelly and Mark” (via Entertainment Weekly) that she nearly quit acting before she met the late David Lynch, who cast her as the lead in 2001’s “Mulholland Drive.” The film’s critical acclaim and global success turned Watts into a star after “10 years” of “flunking auditions.

Naomi Watts said on Tuesday that she almost quit acting before David Lynch cast her in Mulholland Drive. "He was very instrumental to me. Even being in America, I wouldn't have stayed had I not have met David Lynch,

Naomi Watts credits the late David Lynch with saving her Hollywood career. The "Feud: Capote vs. The Swans" star shared that the director — whose family announced his passing on Jan. 16 — rescued her stalled career by casting her in 2001’s Mulholland Drive.