'Rosetta' actress dies of rare cancer at 43, report says

Émilie Dequenne, the Belgian actor who won a top Cannes Film Festival prize for her breakout role in "Rosetta," has died, a news report says. She was 43.

Dequenne died on Sunday due to a rare cancer in a hospital outside of Paris, France, her family and agent told Agence France-Presse.

She is survived by her husband, director and producer Michel Ferracci, and daughter, Milla Savarese.

What type of cancer did Émilie Dequenne have? 

In 2023, Dequenne revealed she had been diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma, also known as adrenal cancer.

Dig deeper:

This type of cancer starts in the adrenal glands located at the top of the kidneys, according to the Mayo Clinic.

These glands, though small, impact the body immensely. They make the hormones that help control metabolism, blood pressure and other important bodily functions.

Adrenal cancer is extremely rare and it can happen at any age.

By the numbers:

There are an estimated two cases per one million people a year, according to the National Cancer Institute.

If caught early, managing and even curing the cancer is possible by surgically removing the tumor.

Émilie Dequenne's life before acting

The backstory:

Dequenne was born on August 29, 1982, in Beloeil, Wallonia, Belgium, according to IMDB.

She began studying drama at 12 and trained at the Music & Spoken Word Academy before joining the La Relève Theater troupe, according to The Hollywood Reporter, before she got her starring role in "Rosetta." 

Émilie Dequenne’s career 

Dig deeper:

Dequenne was 18 when she won best actress at Cannes in 1999 for her role in "Rosetta."

She portrayed a teenager trying to escape her difficult life in a caravan park with an alcoholic mother. The film also won Palme d’Or that year.

Dequenne gained even more fame and popularity after starring alongside Catherine Deneuve in "The Girl on the Train" in 2009. The film is based on a true story about a woman who falsely claimed she was the victim of an antisemitic attack.

She also portrayed a police officer in the French series "The Missing."

In 2012, she won the Un Certain Regard actress prize from Cannes for "Our Children," a dark psychological drama inspired by the real story of a Belgian woman who killed her five children.

She was also nominated for several César Awards throughout her career, finally winning best supporting actress in 2021 for the romantic comedy "Love Affair(s)."

More recently, she co-starred in "Close," which brought her back to Cannes again in 2022.