Jean-Marc Vallée, the Canadian director of Big Little Lies and Dallas Buyers Club, has died suddenly aged 58, it emerged on Sunday (December 26).
His representatives confirmed that the director and producer’s sudden death occurred at his cabin in Quebec City.
Vallée won the Emmy in 2017 and the Directors Guild of America award in 2018 for directing TV series Big Little Lies, the all-star show starring Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman and Shailene Woodley that confirmed his huge talent after an illustrious run in independent film.
Three years prior he had shared an Oscar nomination for editing Dallas Buyers Club, which earned six Academy Award nods in all and won three for lead actor Matthew McConaughey, supporting actor Jared Leto, and make-up and hairstyling.
By then Vallée was well on the way to becoming a coveted director outside his native Canada after his 2005 Genie Award-winning dramedy C.R.A.Z.Y. captured the attention of Hollywood and garnered multiple awards including Best Canadian Feature Film at TIFF and Best Feature Film at AFI FEST.
C.R.A.Z.Y. opened doors. Four years later Vallée directed Emily Blunt in The Young Victoria. Besides Dallas Buyers Club he made Wild with Reese Witherspoon and Demolition with Jake Gyllenhaal before Big Little Lies and then Sharp Objects.
His producing partner Nathan Ross said: “Jean-Marc stood for creativity, authenticity and trying things differently. He was a true artist and a generous, loving guy. Everyone who worked with him couldn’t help but see the talent and vision he possessed. He was a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me. The maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work he shared with the world will live on.”
Vallée is survived by his sons, Alex and Emile, and siblings Marie-Josée Vallée, Stéphane Tousignant and Gérald Vallée.
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