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 Boya 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.