Denis Villeneuve Jean-Marc Vallée
Film & TV

Denis Villeneuve, Reese Witherspoon and more pay tribute to Jean-Marc Vallée

by Lorraine Carpenter

“Je t’aime mon ami.”

News broke last night that Montreal filmmaker Jean-Marc Vallée died suddenly at the age of 58. According to his son, Vallée passed away his chalet outside of Quebec City. It’s now being widely reported that a heart attack is believed to be the cause of death. Social media has been flooded with tributes to the Emmy-winning, Oscar-nominated director of such films as C.R.A.Z.Y. and Dallas Buyers Club, and series including Big Little Lies and Sharp Objects.

Reese Witherspoon, star of Wild and co-star of Big Little Lies

Fellow Quebec filmmaker Denis Villeneuve made a statement via his wife Tanya Lapointe. (Watch an interview with Villeneuve about Vallée, recorded by the CBC today, here.)

“Hey old man, what made you to leave so early? How must I forget these lonesome tears in my eyes? As you already told me: go out there and shine, crazy diamond! I love you my friend. Denis”

—Denis Villeneuve

Denis Villeneuve and Jean-Marc Vallée

Jake Gyllenhaal, star of Demolition.

Jared Leto, co-star of Dallas Buyers Club

Matthew McConaughey, co-star of Dallas Buyers Club

Laura Dern, co-star of Big Little Lies

Jean-Marc Vallée tribute
An Instagram story by Shailene Woodley, co-star of Big Little Lies.

Montreal filmmaker Aisling Chin-Yee and Jean-Marc Vallée

The Toronto International Film Festival

Montreal actor Jay Baruchel

Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau

“What tragic news. Jean-Marc Vallée moved me from CRAZY to Big Little Lies. He was extremely kind. My condolences to all those close to this exceptional artist.”

—François Legault

Quebec Premier François Legault on Jean-Marc Vallée

“We are losing a great filmmaker. Jean-Marc Vallée has created works that I adored, and which have marked Quebec as a whole. My most sincere sympathies to his family and loved ones.”

—Valérie Plante

Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante on Jean-Marc Vallée

The Montreal Canadiens
Variety magazine features editor Malina Saval

Playback Daily Editor Victoria Ahearn

This article was originally published at 12:17 p.m. and updated at 8:14 p.m.

For more on the work of Jean-Marc Vallée, please click here.

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Posted in Film & TV

by Lorraine Carpenter

Editor in chief
Lorraine Carpenter was born in Montreal and studied communications and journalism at Concordia. She co-founded Cult MTL in 2012 following 12 years at the now-defunct Montreal alt weekly the Mirror, where she worked in editorial as copy editor and music editor. She’s dedicated to supporting the cultural scene in Montreal.