As the shock of Canadian actor Stewart McLean‘s homicide last week transitions to numbed grief, friends and family of the Virgin River and Murder In A Small Town performer are struggling to make sense of the tragedy.
In recent social media posts since Saturday’s announcement by Canadian law enforcement that McLean’s weeklong disappearance was being investigated as a homicide with the discovery of a body, some who knew the actor have been sharing their thoughts.
Jeff Seymour, a friend in Los Angeles and show business colleague who recently spent time with the Vancouver-area-based McLean, writes on Facebook, “I lost a great friend today. Stew McLean was a wonderful human being. He visited me recently to act in a project I wrote for him. He was such a lovely and thoughtful actor. He was a joy to work with. He was intelligent, well read and an excellent story teller. The day before he headed back to Vancouver, a few of us drove along Mulholland Drive, looking at the views while Stew sang along to songs from the 60s and 70s. He seemed know the lyrics to everything. You will be greatly missed, my friend. You were a good egg. I’m grateful to have had you in my life.”
In an interview with The Canadian Press, Seymour, an acting coach, said he realized something “was seriously wrong” when McLean failed to appear for a scheduled filming commitment last week. “He was meticulous about everything,” Seymour said. “There would be no chance he just blew something off or overslept. As soon as I heard he didn’t make it, I knew there was big trouble.”
Seymour described McLean as “incredibly situationally aware.”
“For the life of me, I don’t know how anybody could get the drop on Stewart,” Seymour said. “Everybody loved this guy. He was more of a loner who enjoyed reading and spending time at home.”
Director-writer Ryan Minaker also shared his thoughts about his friend Stewart. The two worked together on the web series Cloud Van Tales.
“It’s with painful realization that we are saying goodbye to Stew McLean,” Minaker writes on Facebook. “Taken from us far too young and in such a heinous way. What a rockstar he was. A loved guy everywhere he went and an inspiration when it came to his talents as an actor. I was blessed to have him in my life as was everyone who had the privilege to know him.
“I met Stew back when he auditioned for one of my projects and from then on he continued to be a part of our film family. For the last decade Stew was a constant example of raw talent, stealing the show in every project while remaining professional, humble and approachable. He had the most contagious laugh. I’ll miss our long chats and creative collaborations. Blessed to have so many great memories but sad there won’t be more. Stew was a wonderful soul. I miss my friend. Condolences to the McLean family.”
McLean’s reps at the Vancouver-based Lucas Talent Inc. also offered tributes. Jennifer Lee and Derek Nordick wrote, “We have lost a beloved member of the Lucas Talent family. Derek and I had the pleasure of working with Stew McLean since 2014 and he was always the most positive, kind, funny, chill dude you could ever know. He embraced any opportunity to work on set, in any capacity – PA, Background, Actor roles, weekend Indies or big budget streaming projects – with enthusiasm & joy. That is how we will honour and remember him. Sending love and condolences to his family, many friends in the film community and beyond. Stay groovy Stew, you will be deeply missed.”
Also with the agency, Jodie Caplan wrote, ‘I was fortunate to have worked with Stew for more than 10 years. He was always such a pleasure to deal with, dedicated, professional, eager, and endlessly funny!” Caplan added, “Many casting directors have reached out to share their condolences with Stew’s family and with our agency, and every message says the same thing: what a truly great guy he was, and how deeply he will be missed. Rest in peace, Stew.”
McLean’s sister Kat, writing on Facebook for herself and siblings Laura Ferguson Cam McLean, said of their “dear younger brother” that he “was genuine, honest, caring, and funny as heck. We will miss him incredibly.”
The Canadian TV actor’s remains were located last week in Lions Bay, British Columbia, outside Vancouver, after he had gone missing about a week earlier. Squamish Royal Canadian Mounted Police announced Friday, May 22, that the remains had been identified as McLean.
The homicide investigation, being conducted by Canada’s Integrated Homicide Investigation Team, is ongoing.
McLean had maintained a career as a working TV actor since about 2015, appearing in single episodes of Arrow, Supernatural, Travelers, Blue Steele, Loudermilk, Murder in a Small Town and Netflix’s Virgin River, among other series and TV movies.
