A familiar face on the big screen has left us... Tchéky Karyo, a French actor known for his roles in Jean-Jacques Annaud's The Bear and Luc Besson's Nikita, died on Friday, October 31, 2025, at the age of 72. The announcement of his death, confirmed by his agent Élisabeth Tanner, states that the actor succumbed to cancer. Born in Istanbul, he spent his youth in Paris and devoted his life to theater and cinema, appearing in nearly a hundred films during his career.
Trained at the Théâtre Cyrano before joining the Compagnie Daniel-Sorano, Tchéky Karyo made his debut on the stage of the Théâtre National de Strasbourg. He took his first steps in cinema in 1982 in Toute une nuit, before being noticed for his performance in La Balance, which earned him a César nomination for Most Promising Actor. The actor went on to star in numerous memorable roles in both French and international productions, including Jan Kounen's Dobermann, La Femme Nikita, and Nicolas Vannier's Belle et Sébastien saga.
A prolific artist, Tchéky Karyo also turned his attention to television series, notably the British production Boat Story, broadcast in 2024. In an interview with Le Parisien that same year (as mentioned by our colleagues in their own obituary), he spoke serenely about death: "As late as possible. In good health. While sleeping, perhaps. At the same time, dying in pain is a time when you say goodbye. I think the way we die is perhaps also the last lesson we teach our children."
With his eclectic career spanning theater, film, and television, Tchéky Karyo leaves behind a rich filmography. His wife, Valérie Keruzoré, and their children expressed their sadness in a statement, paying tribute to the memory of an artist who was committed to his craft until the very end.
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