Veteran French actor Michel Blanc, known for ‘Les Bronzés’ films and ‘Monsieur Hire’ passed away at the age of 72. As per Agence France-Presse (AFP), the celebrated icon of French cinema died on Friday morning at a Parisian hospital. The incident occurred after Blanc suffered a heart attack the previous night.

Following his demise, France’s President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to Michel Blanc on X (formerly Twitter). He wrote, “He made us cry with laughter and moved us to tears. A monument of French cinema, Michel Blanc has gone. Our thoughts go out to his loved ones and his acting accomplices.” Additionally, several other social media users remembered the great legacy the actor left behind.

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Michel Blanc was born on April 16, 1952, in Courbevoie (Hauts-de-Seine), France. From his early days, Blanc had a passion for classical music. However, as he grew up, he later changed his vision and co-founded the Le Splendid troupe, a café-théâtre company. He founded the company in the 1970s with his friends, Christian Clavier, Gérard Jugnot and Thierry Lhermitte. Additionally, Josiane Balasko, Marie-Anne Chazel, Bruno Moynot and Claire Magnin are also the co-founders.

Blanc created a name for himself by playing the awkward bachelor Jean-Claude Dusse in Patrice Leconte’s 1978 film ‘Les Bronzes’. Subsequently, the actor starred in the 1979 and 2006 sequels of the classic French comedy. Moreover, Blanc was also known for his dramatic cinematic performances. His performance as the protagonist in Leconte’s 1989 criminal thriller ‘Monsieur Hire’ was highly lauded. Michel Blanc also won the Cesar Award for Best Supporting Actor in 2012 for his role in Pierre Schoeller’s film ‘L’Exercice de l’Etat’.

Boasting an impressive repertoire, Blanc helmed, co-wrote, and starred in several projects during his career. He is known for being associated with titles like ‘Les Filles de Malemort’ (1974), and ‘Let Joy Reign Supreme’ (1975). Moreover, his other projects include ‘Strike It Rich’ (1990), ‘Uranus’ (1990), ‘Merci La Vie’ (1991), and ‘Toxic Affair’ (1993), to name a few. Blanc was also a part of films like ‘The Escort'(2009), ‘The Girl on the Train’ (2009), ‘A Good Doctor’ (2019), ‘Les Petites Victoires’ (2023), and ‘Take a Chance on Me’ (2023) among others.