Jean-Marc Vallée, the Canadian filmmaker most known for his work on the Matthew McConaughey movie Dallas Buyers Club, has passed away at the age of 58.
Bumble Ward, Vallée’s publicist, stated that he died unexpectedly over the weekend in his cottage outside of Quebec City. He is survived by his two children.
Songwriter Finneas paid tribute to the filmmaker, calling him a “great artist.”
Josh Gad, who played Olaf in the Frozen film trilogy, tweeted: “Oh my goodness. This is dreadful. His work was fantastic. RIP.”
Vallée was a filmmaker who attracted high-profile actors who were looking for movies where they could show off their unpolished acting abilities which typically paid off during awards season.
He usually filmed his films in natural light and with hand-held cameras, giving his performers exceptional latitude to obstruct a scene as they saw fit.
Nathan Ross, Vallée’s producing partner, said in a message that Jean-Marc stood for originality, sincerity, and attempting things differently.
“He was a real artist as well as a nice and caring person,” he concluded.
