Emilie Dequenne, the acclaimed Belgian actress, passed away on March 16 at the age of 43 after a battle with adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer of the adrenal glands. She died in a hospital just outside Paris, as confirmed by her family and agent.
Dequenne had first revealed her diagnosis in October 2023, and her courageous fight against the illness had been widely followed by her fans and the media.
Rising to prominence with her role in Rosetta, directed by the Dardenne brothers, Dequenne’s career was catapulted to international acclaim. Her powerful performance in the film earned her the Best Actress award at the prestigious Cannes Film Festival, where Rosetta also won the coveted Golden Palm.
The actress continued to garner accolades throughout her career, particularly for her roles in French-language films such as the 2009 thriller The Girl on the Train and the 2012 drama Our Children.
In 2024, Dequenne made a return to the Cannes Film Festival to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her breakthrough win with the Dardenne brothers. She also promoted her final project, the English-language disaster movie Survive, which was released the same year.
Sadly, health issues later forced Dequenne to step back from her acting career, marking Survive as her last film before her passing. Her death has left a significant mark on the French cinema community and beyond.
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