The Hollywood community and the world at large experienced a serious loss earlier this year when beloved actor Eric Dane died at 53. Before his passing, Dane had sadly been battling ALS and, all the while, he’d been candid about how it was impacting his health. Now, it would seem that only months following Dane’s death, another notable actor has succumbed to the neurodegenerative disease. French thespian Pierre Deny, who many surely know for his work on Emily in Paris, has also passed away due to ALS at 69.
News of Deny’s death was broken this past Monday, May 25, with French outlet TF1Info sharing the news. It was Deny’s family, however, that ultimately confirmed the actor’s death by sharing a statement. Those sentiments read as follows:
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.
Pierre Deny’s acting career began in earnest in the 1980s, at which point he began working in theater. As noted by TF1Info, the seasoned performer would eventually land roles in French TV shows, and those include Julie Lescaut, Tomorrow Is Ours and Demain nous appartient. More recently, Deny played the role of businessman Louis de Leon during the third and fourth seasons of Emily in Paris. Leon is the father of Nicholas de Léon (Paul Forman), a love interest for Ashley Park’s Mindy Chen.
ALS – or amyotrophic lateral sclerosis – is a condition that affects the nervous system, specifically the nerve cells that affect both the brain and spinal cord. Eventually, anyone with the disease begins to experience paralysis and muscle loss that only worsen with time. Sadly, there’s no known cure for the condition.
During the latter part of his life, Eric Dane didn’t hold back his feelings about his diagnosis, even admitting to being “angry” that he’d been taken away from his children at a young age as his father was taken from him. Nevertheless, Dane did have considerable support as he battled the disease, as he received love from Jensen Ackles and support from others like Johnny Depp and Jesse Williams. Despite his circumstances, Dane also continued to work, as he guest-starred on Brilliant Minds and reprised his role as Cal Jacobs for Euphoria Season 3.
It’s truly unfortunate that neither Dane nor Pierre Deny are still with us and that they had to deal with the effects of a disease like ALS. What I find comforting is the notion of their work being enjoyed for years to come. And, of course, there’s also the possibility that their experiences can help motivate the public to understand more about ALS.
We here at CinemaBlend extend our deepest condolences to the family and loved ones of Pierre Deny during this time. Anyone who also wants to learn more about amyotrophic lateral sclerosis can look to the ALS Association’s website for additional information.
