Pierre Deny is being remembered for his talent and lasting impact following his death after a battle with ALS.
The actor, fondly known for his role as Louis de Léon on Emily in Paris, died at the age of 69 on May 25, 2026. His daughters confirmed news of his death on May 27, 2026. “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,” they said in a statement.
Prior to his death, Deny had a long and successful career as an actor in France. He periodically crossed over to other countries, which Netflix fans were treated to on Emily in Paris during seasons 3 and 4.
Scroll down to learn more about the late actor:
Where Was Pierre Deny From?
Deny was a French actor, born in July 1956. He spent the majority of his life in France after training at INSAS drama school in Brussels, Belgium, and the National Theatre School.
When Did Pierre Deny Start Acting?
Deny started his career in theatre in 1980 before moving to the big screen in 1982 with The Bourgeois Gentleman. He appeared in more than 100 movies and TV shows in France throughout his career, including L’Instit (The Teacher), Joséphine, ange gardien (Josephine, Guardian Angel), La Nouvelle Maud (The New Maud), Camping Paradis and Braquo.
The actor is best known in France for playing Jacques Hébrard on Plus belle la vie (Life Is Beautiful), Pierre Mattei on Cinq soeurs (Five Sisters) and portraying Renaud on the soap opera Demain nous appartient (Tomorrow Belongs to Us), in which he appeared in more than 300 episodes from 2017 to 2023.
Was Pierre Deny Married?
The details about Deny’s personal life have been kept quiet, including whether the French star was married or single at the time of his death. Reports have confirmed that Deny was a father and his daughters announced his death on May 27. The identity of his daughters, however, hasn’t been made public.
Who Did Pierre Deny Play on ‘Emily in Paris’?
In the United States and across the globe, Deny is best known for starring on Netflix’s Emily in Paris. He played Louis de Léon, the CEO of the fictional luxury fashion company JVMA, beginning in season 3 of the series. Louis was also the father of Nicholas (Paul Forman), who was the love interest of Emily’s (Lily Collins) BFF Mindy (Ashley Park).
Deny’s character first appeared during a 2022 episode in season 3 and returned for two episodes during season 4 in 2024.
How Did Pierre Deny Die?
Deny died in May after a “sudden and severe case of ALS,” his daughters confirmed in a statement. It is unknown how long Deny was living with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), which is also called Lou Gehrig’s disease in the U.S. and Charcot’s Disease in France.
The illness is a terminal neurodegenerative disorder that causes patients to lose control of their muscles over time as well as inability to eat, and eventually respiratory failure.
