Director Jean-Marc Vallee’s death was revealed to be of natural causes in a final coroner’s report.
The death of the director of the Dallas Buyers Club on Christmas Day at the age of 58 left fans stunned, with a preliminary report on Christmas Eve saying: “Mr. Vallée’s death was not caused by the intervention of another party, a voluntary act or a known illness.’
The filmmaker’s family released a statement on Wednesday (via CBC) in which the medical examiner claims he died of “a fatal cardiac arrhythmia secondary to severe coronary artery atherosclerosis.”
Natural: Director Jean-Marc Vallee’s death was revealed to be of natural causes in a final coroner’s report
Stunned: The death of the director of the Dallas Buyers Club on Christmas Day aged 58 left fans stunned, with a preliminary report on Christmas Eve saying: ‘Mr. Vallée’s death was not caused by the intervention of another party, a voluntary act, or a known illness.
The filmmaker’s death was particularly shocking as he was a fitness enthusiast who avoided alcohol in his daily life.
He also practiced the Wim Hof Method, which achieves health through unique breathing exercises and exposure to cold.
The director was found dead in his cabin outside of Quebec City, Quebec, the day after Christmas last year, where he was preparing to celebrate with family and friends.
Fitness: The filmmaker’s death was particularly shocking as he was a fitness enthusiast who avoided alcohol in his daily life
Vallee shared two sons – Alex and Emile – with Chantal Cadieux, to whom he was married from 1990 to 2006.
“Testimonies of friendship, appreciation and respect for our father and for his work continue to come from around the world,” Alex and Émile Vallée said in a statement.
“We are sincerely grateful and hope that his creativity will continue to serve as an inspiration and guide to the people in this industry he was so passionate about,” his sons concluded.
Alex and Jean-Marc: Vallee shared two sons – Alex and Emile – with Chantal Cadieux, to whom he was married from 1990 to 2006
The family also announced that they will share details of memorial services for the late filmmaker in the near future.
The filmmaker was born in Montreal on March 19, 1963 and studied film directing at Québec University.
He began his career directing music videos and short films in the late 1980s and early 1990s before making his feature film debut in 1995 with Liste Noire, which was nominated for several Genie Awards in Canada, including Best Picture.
Born in Montreal: The filmmaker was born in Montreal on March 19, 1963 and studied film directing at Québec University
Vallee directed Los Locos in 1997 for author stars Mario Van Peebles, Danny Trejo and Rene Auberjonois and CRAZY in 2005 with Michel Cote and Marc-Andre Grondin before breaking into the mainstream in 2009 with The Young Victoria, written by Downton Abbey- Creator Julian Fellowes with Emily Blunt and Rupert Friend.
He next wrote and directed Cafe de Flore, starring Vanessa Paradis and Evelyne Brochu, in 2011, before releasing his Oscar-nominated drama Dallas Buyers Club in 2013.
The film tells the story of Ron Woodruff, an AIDS patient in the 1980s who smuggled unauthorized drugs to treat the disease.
Coveted: The success of the film, which starred Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto and garnered six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, made Vallee a coveted name in Hollywood
The success of the film, which starred Matthew McConaughey and Jared Leto and garnered six Academy Award nominations including Best Picture, made Vallee a coveted name in Hollywood.
In 2015 he directed Demolition with Jake Gyllenhaal and Naomi Watts before turning to television with two critically acclaimed TV shows.
He directed all seven episodes of the first season of HBO’s Big Little Lies, for which he won two Emmys, and all eight episodes of HBO’s Sharp Objects.
Emmy Winner: He directed all seven episodes of the first season of HBO’s Big Little Lies, for which he won two Emmys, and all eight episodes of HBO’s Sharp Objects