BURST
Friends of Vancouver-area actor Stewart McLean, who police say was likely the victim of a homicide, say his death is a terrible shock.
Close friend Jeff Seymour, of Los Angeles, said he can’t understand how his “kind and gentle” man could have lost his life in a way that was so unlike how he lived it. McLean was simply “a good guy,” said Seymour.
Stewart (Stew) McLean lived in Lions Bay, but was an active member of Vancouver’s Hollywood North community, and came frequently to Vancouver to work.
In a statement, his longtime Lucas Talent agent Jodi Caplan wrote, “We are devastated to hear the news of Stew McLean’s passing.”
Caplan called him a well-respected and admired member of the film and television community in Vancouver. “He will always be remembered for his kindness and humour. Our hearts go out to his family and everyone who knew and loved him at this very difficult time.”
McLean was last seen on May 15. He was reported missing on May 18. His remains were found on May 22 during a search of the Lions Bay area, according to the Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, which has opened an investigation into his death, a suspected homicide.
Seymour called the tragedy “unfathomable.”
The actor was recently in Los Angeles to work on a project with Seymour. McLean was a “straight arrow,” and not involved in anything untoward. “He didn’t even drink,” said Seymour. “He was a treasure to be around.”
Seymour, an acting coach, who had known McLean first as a student then as a friend, said he was struggling to understand how this could have happened.
“He had a fascination with UFOs, and once a week he would send me something about a sighting,” said Seymour. “When he was missing, I thought, ‘Oh please, please be abducted and come back two weeks later, with an incredible story.'”
As he waited for news, Seymour knew somehow that wouldn’t happen. “He was supposed to be somewhere Saturday morning. Actors show up. If an actor doesn’t show up, you know something is wrong. I thought there must have been an accident.”
McLean loved to hike, said Seymour, and they often hiked together in the mountains around McLean’s Lions’ Bay home. He wondered if it was a hiking accident.
Seymour said McLean was someone who told incredible stories. “He was a great raconteur. So funny. We would bust a gut all the time.”
McLean was also an avid reader, who loved music, and singing. “We were driving along Mulholland on the last day before he went back,” said Seymour. “I was showing him the valley the L.A. basin and we had ’60s and ’70s music playing. He knew the lyrics to every song, and he sang along really well.”
“He was a consummate professional, always prepared, always on time, and incredibly supportive of the people around him, never a prima donna,” said Seymour.
He called McLean a “blue-collar actor,” who brought his real life experience to his roles. McLean sometimes worked on film sets as a production assistant, and often left town for several weeks to make money working with a surveying team for a mining company up north.
Seymour said McLean grew up in Alberta, and came to acting later in life. The move brought him success, including a recent episode in the Netflix drama Virgin River, Arrow (2012), Beyond (2016) and Travelers, (2016), as well as Supernatural, Blue Steele, Loudermilk, Murder In A Small Town, and other series and TV movies.
On the Friday before his disappearance, he had made a four-hour drive back home from Merritt, said Seymour, who added that his home was found unlocked.
The tragedy doesn’t fit how McLean lived his life. “He was incredibly situationally aware,” said Seymour.