Update: Jean-Marc Vallée, director of Dallas Buyers Club, dies at 58

Last Updated on December 29, 2021

Update: Details related to the untimely death of filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée are beginning to surface. According to Deadline, Vallée may have suffered a heart attack before passing away. Vallée was found at his cabin on the river outside of Quebec City, where he was getting ready to host guests on Christmas Day. It is likely that Vallée passed on December 25 before being found the following morning. Vallée was a known fitness advocate who indulged in the Wim Hoffman fitness method, which involves an intense series of exercises. While this update has yet to be confirmed by sources close to Vallée, it’s the closest we’ve come to an explanation for his unfortunate passing.

Original Article:

Some very sudden and shocking news coming in this morning. Jean-Marc Vallée, Canadian writer, director, editor, and producer, has died suddenly at the age of 58. Per “Deadline“, news about his passing is still being gathered and no cause of death has been revealed but they can detail that he passed away at his cabin outside Quebec City, and his family and close friends are in shock.

Vallée hails from Montreal, Quebec and he began his career making short films before moving into features in 1995 with the film Black List. His big breakthrough came with the film C.R.AZ.Y. which won four Genie Awards in Canada, including Best Picture, Best Screenplay, and Best Director for Vallée.

Vallée became much more known to the masses when he directed Dallas Buyers Club. The film was based on the true-life tale of Ron Woodroof, a Texas electrician who was diagnosed with AIDS and was given a month to live. Woodroof defied the odds by smuggling alternative drugs and medicine that were not approved in the U.S. to help himself and others suffering from AIDS prolong their lives. The project had hit a wall before Vallée became involved but it would eventually become a huge critical darling when it was released in 2013. Starring Matthew McConaughey, Jared Leto, and Jennifer Garner, the film was nominated at the Oscars for Best Picture, Best Original Screenplay, and Best Film Editing, a nomination that went to Vallée under his alias, John Mac McMurphy. McConaughey and Leto also won Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor at the Golden Globes and Oscars, respectively.

Vallée followed the success of Dallas Buyers Club with an adaptation of Chery Strayed’s memoir, Wild. The film starred Resse Witherspoon and Laura Dern and it brought Vallée back to the Oscars again with a total of three nominations, including a Best Actress nom for Witherspoon and a Best Supporting Actress nomination for Dern.

While his success with film was substantial, Vallée would find arguably even bigger success when he turned his attention to long-form television. In 2017, Vallée received the DGA Award and the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for the HBO Limited Series Big Little Lies. The series ultimately won eight Emmys and four Golden Globes. Vallée continued his success with HBO by also directing the limited series Sharp Objects, which was nominated for eight Emmys. Producing partner Nathan Ross had this to say about his passing:

“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.”

HBO also commented on Vallée’s passing by saying, “Jean-Marc Vallée was a brilliant, fiercely dedicated filmmaker, a truly phenomenal talent who infused every scene with a deeply visceral, emotional truth. He was also a hugely caring man who invested his whole self alongside every actor he directed. We are shocked at the news of his sudden death, and we extend our heartfelt sympathies to his sons, Alex and Émile, his extended family, and his longtime producing partner, Nathan Ross.”

This news is always sad but especially sad when it’s sudden and unexpected. Vallée had immense talent and definitely has more to offer to this world with his vision and love for film and TV. Vallée is survived by his sons, Alex and Émile, and siblings Marie-Josée Vallée, Stéphane Tousignant and Gérald Vallée. Our thoughts are with his family, close friends, and fans during this difficult time.