Jean-Marc Vallee, 'Big Little Lies' and 'Dallas Buyers Club' Director, Dies Suddenly at 58
Acclaimed director and producer Jean-Marc Vallée, known for directing acclaimed projects such as Dallas Buyers Club, Big Little Lies, and Sharp Objects, has died. The Emmy-award-winning director died suddenly on Sunday in his cabin near Quebec City, Canada, his longtime producing partner Nathan Ross confirmed. Vallée was 58. At this time, a cause of death is not known.
Ross confirmed Vallée's death in a statement to multiple outlets, including PEOPLE, that remembered the Oscar-nominated filmmaker as someone who "stood for creativity, authenticity and trying things differently. He was a true artist and a generous, loving guy." Ross said that "everyone who worked with him couldn't help but see the talent and vision he possessed." Remembering Vallée as "a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me," Ross continued, "the maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work he shared with the world will live on."
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Vallée studied filmmaking at the Collège Ahuntsic and the Université du Québec à Montréal. He broke into directing through music videos and later began making short films before his debut film Black List was released in 1995, according to The Hollywood Reporter. The film earned nine nominations for Canada's Genie Awards. His breakout feature film came just a decade later with C.R.A.Z.Y. Vallée wrote and directed the film, which won 11 Genies, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay and Best Director for Vallée.
Following the success of C.R.A.Z.Y., Vallée went on to direct Emily Blunt as Britain's Queen Victoria in his 2009 film The Young Victoria, which earned three Oscar nominations, including a win for best costume design. Just a few years later, he earned even more Oscar buzz with 2013's Dallas Buyers Club. Starring Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto and based on the true-life tale of Ron Woodroof, the film won three Academy Awards, including one for Best Actor McConaughey and another for Best Supporting Actor for Leto. The project was followed by an adaptation of Cheryl Strayed's memoir Wild, which starred Reese Witherspoon and Laura Dern and was nominated for three Oscars.
Vallée entered television production in 2017 as executive producer of the HBO drama Big Little Lies, also starring Witherspoon and Dern. The series won eight Emmys and four Golden Globes. Vallée also directed fellow HBO series Sharp Objects, which was nominated for eight Emmys. In a statement to THR, HBO said they are "shocked at the news of his sudden death" and extended "heartfelt sympathies" to Vallée's loved ones. The network remembered Vallée as "a brilliant, fiercely dedicated filmmaker, a truly phenomenal talent who infused every scene with a deeply visceral, emotional truth." Vallée is survived by his sons, Alex and Émile, and siblings Marie-Josée Vallée, Stéphanie Tousignant and Gérald Vallée.