Celebrity3 min(s) read
Published 11:57 27 Dec 2021 GMT
Filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée has died at the age of 58.
The director's representatives Bumble Ward revealed that Vallée suddenly died in his cabin outside Quebec City, Canada, over the weekend.
The cause of his death is still unknown, The Guardian reports.
Vallée's producing partner, Nathan Ross, said in a statement: "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."
During his career, Vallée also worked with top actors including Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams, and Jake Gyllenhaal, to name a few.
Born and raised in Montreal, Quebec, Vallée studied filmmaking at the Collège Ahuntsic and the Université du Québec à Montréal. His breakout feature film was C.R.A.Z.Y., which he wrote and directed.
After directing Emily Blunt in 2009's The Young Victoria, Vallée earned an Oscar nomination in 2014 in editing for Dallas Buyers Club.
The film also won three Academy Awards, including one for lead actor Matthew McConaughey and another for supporting actor Jared Leto.
The film is about a rodeo cowboy who is diagnosed with AIDs and discovers a banned drug that can help patients survive longer.
Vallée often shot with natural light and hand-held cameras, giving actors freedom to improvise the script and move around within a scene's location.
"They can move anywhere they want," he said of his actors in a 2014 interview. "It's giving the importance to storytelling, emotion, characters. I try not to interfere too much."
Vallée followed that project with Wild, which led to Oscar nominations for Witherspoon and costar Laura Dern.
He continued his success with two Emmy Awards for directing and producing HBO's limited series Big Little Lies, also starring Witherspoon and Dern. In total, the series won eight Emmys and four Golden Globes.
He later directed and executive produced the HBO limited series Sharp Objects, which was nominated for eight Emmys.
Vallée won the Directors Guild of America Awards for both.
Vallée is survived by his sons, Alex and Émile, and siblings Marie-Josée Vallée, Stéphanie Tousignant and Gérald Vallée.
Our thoughts are with Jean-Marc Vallée's loved ones at this difficult time.
