Celebrity
James Bond Actor Dies — Fans Around The World Mourn The Loss
At the age of 72, French actor Tchéky Karyo, who was most recognized for his parts in the James Bond movie Golden Eyes and the BBC drama The Missing, passed away.
Karyo’s wife, actress Valérie Keruzoré, and their kids posted a statement confirming that he “succumbed to cancer this Friday, October 31.”
According to IMDb, Karyo, who was born in Istanbul and grew up in Paris, had a successful career in French and foreign film for almost 40 years before concentrating on television in his later years.
From French cinema to Hollywood success
In the 1980s, Karyo started his acting career and soon gained praise from French cinema critics. His portrayal of the hunter in Jean-Jacques Annaud’s 1988 adventure The Bear brought him early fame. Two years later, he portrayed the covert agent who trains Anne Parillaud’s killer in Luc Besson’s popular thriller La Femme Nikita (1990).
His ability to speak French, English, and Spanish fluently led to opportunities for international productions. He starred in the historical epic 1492: Conquest of Paradise, directed by Ridley Scott, in 1992. He went on to appear in movies including Amélie (2001) and Walter Salles’ Foreign Land (1995).
The Sun claims that Karyo’s portrayal of Russian Defense Minister Dmitri Mishkin in the James Bond movie GoldenEye in 1995 solidified his standing as a versatile and powerful actor.
A defining role in ‘The Missing’
Although Karyo gained international recognition for his cinematic work, his role as investigator Julien Baptiste in The Missing is what many British fans remember him for the most. First broadcast in 2014, the BBC drama follows the frantic hunt for a five-year-old boy who disappeared while on vacation in France.
The show received a lot of praise for its emotional depth and eerie narrative, which led to the release of a second season in 2016 and the spin-off series Baptiste in 2019.
Speaking about the role, Karyo said, “I didn’t expect it, but it’s flattering. This has made me feel young again.” In a 2021 interview with Hello, he reflected fondly on his time as the beloved detective, saying: “It’s fantastic, it’s been a fantastic adventure, this, The Missing and Baptiste.”
Remembered as an actor and musician
Karyo was a talented musician and songwriter in addition to being an actor. He celebrated his 60th birthday with music in 2006 with the release of Ce lien qui nous unit, or “The Link That Binds Us,” again in 2013 with Credo.
BBC Drama director Lindsay Salt paid tribute to Karyo, saying (via the Daily Mail) “We are so sad to learn of the passing of Tchéky Karyo. He was a truly brilliant and much-loved actor and will be fondly remembered by BBC viewers for his roles in The Missing, Baptiste, and most recently Boat Story. Our thoughts are with his family and loved ones at this time.”
A second tragedy for ‘The Missing’ cast
Karyo’s death occurs just seven months after Emile Dequenne, his co-star on The Missing, passed away in March at the age of 43 following a battle with a rare form of cancer.
Dequenne, who had initially announced her remission in 2024, revealed later that year that her illness had returned. In one of her final interviews, she acknowledged her declining health, saying, “I know I will not live as long as planned.”
Her demise had a profound impact on the French cinema industry, and now that Karyo is gone, both colleagues and fans are lamenting the loss of another legendary star from the same critically acclaimed series.
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