Reports claim that Émilie Dequenne, a Belgian actress best known for the Dardenne brothers’ film Rosetta (1999), has passed away after a prolonged battle with cancer, prompting many to wonder whether the news is true. Besides Rosetta, she also appeared in movies like Brotherhood of the Wolf, The Girl on the Train, Our Children, and Mr. Blake At Your Service!
So, here are all the details fans need to know about the actress’s tragic death.
Émilie Dequenne passes away at 43, claims report
Various outlets have reported that the Belgian actress died on Sunday, March 16, 2025, due to complications related to a rare adrenal cancer at the Gustave-Roussy Hospital in Villejuif, a French commune located close to Paris.
Émilie Dequenne was 43 years old and is survived by her husband, Michel Ferracci, and daughter, Milla Savarese. As per The Guardian, the reports of her death were confirmed by family members and her agent. Back in October 2023, Dequenne disclosed that she had been diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma and subsequently chronicled her struggles with the disease.
The Not My Type actress took to Instagram in August 2024 and posted, “I obviously keep the immense love that has overflowed after this ordeal. The most beautiful of the sequel.” She continued, “However, I’d be lying if I said everything was pink all the time. Corticosurenaloma, besides its rarity, transformed me completely. Me, my life, my general state, my morals, my abilities, my freedom, my carelessness… Sometimes I cry for this life before.”
Dequenne concluded the post with a hopeful note, “But I’m here. I want to live. I will survive.” Born in August 1981 in Belœil, Belgium, she broke into the entertainment industry with Rosetta. The movie not only won the Palme d’Or at Cannes but also garnered Dequenne that year’s Best Actress accolade at the festival.
Additionally, Émilie Dequenne has received the Cannes Film Festival – Un Certain Regard – Best Actress accolade. She won it for her outing as Murielle in the 2012 Belgian-French psychological drama feature Our Children. Her most recent movies were the comedy-drama TKT and the disaster thriller, Survive, both of which came out in 2024.
