Belgian Actress Émilie Dequenne Dies at 43 After Cancer Battle

Belgian actress Émilie Dequenne, known for her award-winning performances in French-language cinema, has passed away at the age of 43 due to adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare cancer of the adrenal gland. Dequenne first gained international recognition in 1999 when she won the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival for her debut role in ‘Rosetta.’ She continued to earn critical acclaim, winning another Cannes award for ‘À Perdre la Raison’ in 2012 and receiving a César Award for ‘Les Choses Qu’on Dit, les Choses Qu’on Fait’ in 2021.

Throughout her career, she played a variety of roles, including her appearance as police officer Laurence Relaud in the BBC drama ‘The Missing.’ Her filmography includes ‘La fille du RER’ (2009), ‘Pas Son Genre’ (2014), and ‘Close’ (2022), among others. Many, including French Minister of Culture Rachida Dati, have paid tribute to her talent and contributions to Francophone cinema.

Dequenne revealed her cancer diagnosis in October 2023 and documented her struggle in social media posts. In one of her last messages on Instagram, she acknowledged the difficulty of her battle, writing: ‘What a tough fight! And we don’t choose…’ Her passing marks a significant loss to the world of cinema.