Belgian actor Émilie Dequenne dead at 43
Belgian actor Émilie Dequenne has died aged 43 following a battle with an extremely rare form of cancer.
In late 2023, Dequenne revealed that she had been diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma which is a type of cancer that affects the adrenal gland. Dequenne passed away in a hospital just outside of Paris on March 16th, her family and agent have confirmed.
The actor first rose to prominence when she made her breakthrough in Rosetta, made by the Dardenne brothers in 1999. Dequenne appeared at Cannes Film Festival in 2024 to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the acclaimed movie which previously won the coveted Palme d’Or.
Dequenne was also at Cannes last year to promote Survive, which proved to be the final movie of her career.
Other notable movies that Dequenne appeared in across her celebrated career include 2001’s Brotherhood of the Wolf, 2009’s The Girl on the Train and Our Children in 2012.
In tribute, France’s Culture Minister, Rachida Dati, shared of the talent: “Émilie Dequenne left us after battling illness. Revealed in Rosetta by the Dardenne brothers, this moving role earned her an award at Cannes at the age of 17. Nominated five times for a César Award, she won Best Supporting Actress.”
Dati continued: “We were all deeply moved by her powerful performances in powerful roles. French-language cinema has lost, too soon, a talented actress who still had so much to offer. I extend my condolences to his family and loved ones.”
The French firefighting community also honoured Daquenne, praising her performance in 2017’s Les Hommes du feu. They wrote on X: “The firefighter community #pompiers of France pays tribute to the memory of actress Emilie Dequenne, who perfectly donned the firefighter’s uniform alongside Roschdy Zem in 2017, in Les Hommes du Feu.”
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