Emily in Paris star Pierre Deny has died after a battle with motor neurone disease, known in other parts of the world as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS).
The French actor, 69, appeared in the third and fourth seasons of the hit Netflix show and his death was confirmed in a statement on Wednesday from his daughters.
“It is with deep emotion that we announce the passing of Pierre Deny, which occurred this Monday following a sudden and severe case of ALS,” they wrote in a statement obtained by the Daily Mail.
Deny played Louis de Léon, CEO of the fictional fashion giant JVMA in the show.
The rare but deadly neurodegenerative disorder, which is known in the US as ALS or Lou Gehrig’s disease, affects the motor nerves that allow a person to move, swallow, talk and eventually breathe.
The disease has an average life expectancy of about two-and-a-half years from diagnosis.
He also recently starred in the French series Camping Paradis and Le Fil d’Ariane.
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Actress Sylvie Vartan shared a tribute to Deny on Instagram on May 26.
“I shared some great moments with him on stage in Isabelle Mergault’s play. He was a generous actor and a sensitive and funny man. My thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this painful time,” she wrote.
Lily Collins, who plays the titular character in the beloved series, announced last week that filming is currently underway for the sixth and final season.
The actress and her co-stars are yet to comment or react to the news of Deny’s death.
Deny started his acting career in the ’80s, and appeared in more than 500 episodes of the soap opera Demain nous appartient.
The actor was also well known for his roles in several other French series, including Fabio Montale, Une femme d’honneur and Cinq soeurs.
