Naomi Watts Mourns Longtime Collaborator David Lynch’s Death: ‘He Put Me on the Map’

Naomi Watts is mourning the loss of her Mulholland Drive director David Lynch.

The legendary filmmaker died at the age of 78, his family announced on Thursday, Jan. 16.

In a tribute on her Instagram, Watts, 56, reflected on her relationship with Lynch on and off screen. 

“My heart is broken. My Buddy Dave… The world will not be the same without him. His creative mentorship was truly powerful,” wrote the British-Australian actress in a caption. The post consisted of two photos of her and Lynch — one featuring her kissing his lipstick-stained cheek — and a behind-the-scenes clip of the director inviting Watts to slap him.

“He put me on the map,” her caption continued. “The world I’d been trying to break into for ten plus years, flunking auditions left and right. Finally, I sat in front of a curious man, beaming with light, speaking words from another era, making me laugh and feel at ease.”

Lynch’s “wisdom, humor, and love gave me a special sense of belief in myself I’d never accessed before,” she added. “David invited all to glimpse into that world through his exquisite storytelling, which elevated cinema and inspired generations of filmmakers across the globe. I just cannot believe that he’s gone. I’m in pieces but forever grateful for our friendship.”

Watts has repeatedly credited her success as a screen star to Lynch in the past. Celebrating the 20th anniversary of her breakout movie Mulholland Drive in 2021, she wrote, “This film changed my career. David Lynch changed my life. I’m forever grateful.”

The director and star reunited for 2006 experimental film Inland Empire, which used footage of Watts from Lynch’s 2002 online project Rabbits. The two-time Oscar nominee also featured in the revival of Lynch’s hit series Twin Peaks, playing Janey-E Jones in a 10-episode arc in 2017.

Watts recalled in a 2017 interview with The Guardian a time when she “wasn’t getting parts” in Hollywood. “I was giving myself away. My soul was being destroyed. I was never able to walk in a room and own it by being me,” she said. “David [Lynch] changed that. It was having someone actually make eye contact, ask questions he was truly interested in, take the time to unveil some layers.”

Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE’s free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 

Lynch is survived by his four children.

Many of the four-time Oscar nominee’s collaborators spoke out about his loss on social media on Thursday, including Twin Peaks and Dune star Kyle MacLachlan.

“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,” MacLachlan wrote of his longtime collaborator in an Instagram post.

Watts’ recent projects include Netflix’s The Watcher and The Friend costarring Bill Murray. Her work in FX’s Feud: Capote vs. The Swans earned Watts nominations at the Emmy Awards, Golden Globes and upcoming Critics Choice Awards.