Emily in Paris star Pierre Deny has died after being diagnosed with a “sudden and severe” case of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. He was 69.
Deny’s family confirmed the French actor’s death in a statement Wednesday.
“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,” the actor’s daughters said in a statement to the Daily Mail.
ALS is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. There is no known cure.
Deny appeared on seasons three and four of the hit Netflix series starring Lily Collins. He played Louis de Léon, the CEO of fashion giant JVMA and father of Nicholas de Léon, played by Paul Forman, who dated Emily’s (Collins) best friend Mindy Chen, played by Ashley Park.
It is unclear when Deny was diagnosed with ALS. His last Instagram post is from October and promoted a reading he did in Paris.
Before Emily in Paris, Deny appeared as Dr. Renaud Dumaze in more than 500 episodes of the French soap opera Tomorrow is Ours between 2017 and 2023.
His longtime Tomorrow is Ours co-star, Luce Mouchel, shared a tribute to Deny on Instagram, writing in French: “Pierre, seven years of filming together, taking the train together, having lunch together in the cafeteria, sometimes confiding in each other, occasionally inviting each other over and congratulating you on your hidden talent as a cook, introducing our daughters, going to applaud each other at the theater, habitually calling each other ‘doctor,’ and so much more.
“A little over a decade of shared life that shouldn't have ended so quickly and so brutally. I'm thinking of your daughters and their exceptional courage. I'm thinking of you, of my last visit and your sparkling eyes. Rest in peace, Dr. Dumaze,” she wrote.
French singer and actor Sylvie Vartan — who starred in a 2015 stage production with Deny — wrote in French on Instagram: “So sad to hear of the passing of Pierre Deny. 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.”
Deny was also known for his roles in French TV series like Five Sisters, A Woman of Honor, New Maud and Life is Beautiful, according to his IMDb page. His last credit before his death was appearing in two episode of the drama series Camping Paradise.
