GettyImages 1173975701
Dequenne, a renowned Belgian actress, has passed away after a courageous battle with a rare form of cancer.
Known for her performances in BBC’s The Missing and the Cannes-winning film Rosetta, the actress died on Sunday in a hospital near Paris, as confirmed by her family and agent, according to the Daily Mail.
In October 2023, Dequenne publicly shared her diagnosis of adrenocortical carcinoma, a rare and aggressive cancer of the adrenal gland.
Despite the devastating diagnosis, she fought with incredible resilience. In April 2024, Dequenne shared an uplifting health update on social media: ‘I was close to forgetting because I was leaving the hospital today after 13 days… What a tough battle.’
Her announcement of being in complete remission brought hope to her fans, who believed she was on the path to recovery.
She also expressed her determination to return to her career and embrace life once again.
However, tragically, her health took a turn for the worse later that year when the cancer relapsed.
On December 1, 2024, Dequenne openly acknowledged her declining health during an interview on the French television show TF1, stating: ‘I know I will not live as long as planned.’
Born on August 29, 1981, in Belgium, Dequenne’s career took off in 1999 when she starred in the Dardenne brothers’ film Rosetta. Her powerful performance earned her the Best Actress award at the Cannes Film Festival, solidifying her status as a rising star in European cinema.
Over the years, she demonstrated her versatility in a wide range of films, including Brotherhood of the Wolf (2001, directed by Christophe Gans), A Housekeeper (2002, directed by Claude Berri), The Very Merry Widows (2003, directed by Catherine Corsini), The Girl on the Train (2009), and Our Children (2012), for which she won the Un Certain Regard award at Cannes.
She also attended the 2010 Cannes Film Festival for a special screening of Franck Richard’s The Pack.
In 2024, Dequenne returned to Cannes to celebrate the 25th anniversary of her Rosetta victory and to promote her final film, Survive, an English-language disaster movie.
To address this issue, Dr. Berg recommends taking magnesium glycinate, but he advises consulting with a healthcare professional before adding any supplements to your routine.
Another common reason for waking up at the same time each night is low blood sugar.
Dr. Berg cautions that a diet high in carbohydrates can lead to blood sugar spikes, and when blood sugar drops too low during the night, the body releases cortisol to compensate, which can disturb your sleep.
“Eating a lot of carbohydrates and starches can also contribute to a magnesium deficiency,” he explains.
If your diet includes excessive sugar, carbs, MSG, alcohol, or late-night snacking, you could be unknowingly disrupting your sleep cycle.
Even consuming too much protein late at night can interfere with sleep.
To prevent this, Dr. Berg recommends having your last meal in the late afternoon whenever possible.
In what would become her final role, Dequenne starred in Survive, a dystopian drama about a mother fighting to protect her family.
In a surprising revelation, she later admitted that she had no idea she was sick while filming the movie.
Speaking to The Action, Dequenne reflected on how becoming a mother influenced her performance: ‘I can’t explain it, but when you become a mother, it’s like your strength, your power, and your bravery completely change. You see life from a different perspective.’
She added, ‘That’s what drew me to the script — it felt incredibly realistic, despite being dystopian, which I love.’
Dequenne also spoke about the deep bond she developed with the child actors on set, describing how they became like a real family off-screen: ‘We had dinner together, we traveled to the set in the same car, and we were always together.’
‘And I still stay in touch with them. Lisa, who plays my daughter, has become a very good friend to my own daughter. Sometimes she comes over, stays the night, and we spend time together.’
She is survived by her husband, Michel Ferracci, and their daughter.”
