R.I.P. Jean-Marc Vallée, director of Dallas Buyers Club, Big Little Lies

Jean-Marc Vallée, the director of the Oscar-winning film Dallas Buyers Club and two HBO series, Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects, died suddenly at the age of 58. Per The Associated Press, a representative confirmed he died at his cabin outside Quebec City.

“Jean-Marc stood for creativity, authenticity, and trying things differently,” said Nathan Ross, Vallée’s producing partner, in a statement posted by Deadline. “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.”

Born in 1963 in Montreal, Quebec, Vallée began making short films at the Université du Québec à Montréal. There, he directed several shorts, including Stereotypes and ‌Les Fleurs Magiques. In 2005, he released his breakthrough feature C.R.A.Z.Y. Four years later, his film The Young Victoria, starring Emily Blunt and Paul Bettany, earned four Academy Award nominations, winning one for Costume Design.

He would remain an Oscar night regular with his subsequent two films, Dallas Buyers Club and Wild. Buyers Club was nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture, with stars Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto winning for Best Actor and Best Supporting Actor.

In 2017, Vallée directed the first season of the smash HBO series Big Little Lies, a thrilling satire about the murderous mothers of Monterey, California. Two years later, he returned to the network with the Gillian Flynn adaptation Sharp Objects, a Missouri-set noir starring Amy Adams. The series earned rave reviews, with The A.V. Club calling it “a true masterpiece.”

Vallée is survived by his siblings Marie-Josée Vallée, Stéphane Tousignant and Gérald Vallée, and two sons, Alex Émile.