Dustin Lance Black suffered a “serious head injury” last month and the Oscar-winning screenwriter says “the road back will be long.”
Black — the creator of FX’s recently released limited series Under the Banner of Heaven starring the Emmy-nominated Andrew Garfield — revealed the news Monday on Instagram. He did not specify how he received the injury but did note that it put him out of commission hence why he “vanished for a while.” He was last spotted at public events in July, attending Wimbledon alongside husband Tom Daly and later accompanying the gold medal-winning diver to investiture ceremonies at Windsor Castle.
“Showing little improvement, my doctors ordered me to shut off my brain in hopes of it healing. This has been a challenging, frightening time for a creative type who depends on what’s in his skull to work, care and love,” Black continued in his post. “And now I understand the road back will be long.”
The post features a carousel of vacation images of the couple and solo shots of Black who is seen smiling and drinking a glass of wine while wearing a shirt embroidered with the word “Lucky.”
“But this week my sweet, over the top husband took us to the Greek Islands to make me shut off. I can already feel this trip is a step in the right direction, and I finally feel safe sharing a bit again. Thank you for all of your love and patience,” he writes. “More to come. Promise.”
HBO’s Mama’s Boy, a documentary about Black’s life, is set to open New York’s LGBTQ+ film festival NewFest on Oct. 13. He also wrote and produced the upcoming George C. Wolfe-directed film Rustin about the life of gay civil rights activist Bayard Rustin. That film is expected in 2023.
