Entertainment

Jean-Marc Vallée: Director of 'Dallas Buyers Club,' 'Big Little Lies' dead at 58

Jean-Marc Vallee obit
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LOS ANGELES — Director and producer Jean-Marc Vallée, who won an Emmy for directing the hit HBO series "Big Little Lies" and whose 2013 drama "Dallas Buyers Club" earned six Oscar nominations, has died. He was 58.

His representative Bumble Ward says Vallée died suddenly in his cabin outside Quebec City, Canada, over the weekend.

The Canadian filmmaker was acclaimed for his naturalistic approach to filmmaking, directing stars including Matthew McConaughey, Reese Witherspoon, Nicole Kidman, Amy Adams and Jake Gyllenhaal over the past decade.

"He was a friend, creative partner and an older brother to me," said Nathan Ross, Vallée's partner in their production company Crazyrose. "The maestro will sorely be missed but it comforts knowing his beautiful style and impactful work he shared with the world will live on."

Though he began his directing work in the mid-'80s, Vallée's breakthrough hit was "Dallas Buyers Club," which was awarded three Oscars, including the awards for best actor (McConaughey) and best supporting actor (Jared Leto).

Vallée was most recently behind two HBO hit miniseries, "Big Little Lies" and "Sharp Objects," both of which won critical acclaim for acting, storytelling and cinematography.