Little Fires Everywhere and Humpday director Lynn Shelton dies at 54 after battle with a blood disorder

Filmmaker Lynn Shelton passed away on Friday at the age of 54.

The Little Fires Everywhere director died of a ‘previously unidentified blood disorder,’ according a statement from her reps provided to The Hollywood Reporter.

Shelton helped popularize the ‘mumblecore’ genre with understated yet observant indies like Humpday and Your Sister’s Sister. 

She often worked with Mark Duplass, one of the stars of the funny and underrated Humpday, who tweeted out his condolences on Saturday.

We lost our dear friend Lynn Shelton. We made so many things together,’ Duplass wrote.

‘I wish we had made more. Her boundless creative energy and infectious spirit were unrivaled. She made me better. We butted heads, made up, laughed, pushed each other. Like family. What a deep loss,’ the actor concluded.

In addition to Lynn’s film work, she was an accomplished television director, having helmed episodes for such celebrated series as the new Little Fires Everywhere, The Morning Show, Mad Men, Glow, Fresh Off the Boat, Santa Clarita Diet, The Good Place and Master of None.

Mindy Kaling, whom Shelton directed in two episodes of The Mindy Project, wrote: ‘Lynn Shelton loved actors and we loved her back. She was a dream on set. Her lovely, sunny energy was infectious’.

A decorated filmmaker and director, Lynn had received recognition at festivals such as the Sundance, Cannes and Deauville Film Festivals, as well as at the Independent Spirit Awards.

She was highly respected within the film community, as Lynn’s contemporaries also took time Saturday to share their feelings on her untimely passing.

Those included Ava DuVernay, James Gunn, Edgar Wright and Jason Reitman, who tweeted, ‘Don’t know how to comprehend the sudden loss of my brilliant friend Lynn Shelton. Her direction was filled with delight. Her films tap-danced through the human experience. Cherishing her movies and mourning the ones we never got to see.’

The Oberlin, Ohio-born Shelton is survived by her son Milo Seal, whom she shared with her ex-husband, actor and MTV VJ Kevin Seal.

She was in a relationship with comedian Marc Maron at the time of her death.