French actor Tchéky Karyo, best known for his roles in the BBC drama The Missing and the James Bond film GoldenEye, has died at the age of 72.
Karyo’s family confirmed that he “succumbed to cancer this Friday, October 31,” according to a statement shared by his wife, actress Valérie Keruzoré, and their children.
Born in Istanbul and raised in Paris, Karyo built a prolific career in both French and international cinema over nearly four decades before shifting his focus to television in later years, as per IMDb.
From French cinema to Hollywood success
Karyo began his acting journey in the 1980s, quickly earning critical acclaim in French film circles. He gained early recognition for his performance as the hunter in Jean-Jacques Annaud’s 1988 adventure The Bear, and two years later, he played the secret agent who trains Anne Parillaud’s assassin in Luc Besson’s hit thriller La Femme Nikita (1990).
Credit: Dominique Charriau/WireImage/Getty Images.
His fluency in multiple languages, including French, English, and Spanish, opened doors to international productions. He appeared in Ridley Scott’s historical epic 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992), and later in films such as Amélie (2001) and Walter Salles’ Foreign Land (1995).
In 1995, Karyo played Russian Defense Minister Dmitri Mishkin in the James Bond film GoldenEye, cementing his reputation as a versatile and commanding screen presence, according to The Sun.
A defining role in ‘The Missing’
While Karyo’s film work earned him international fame, many British viewers remember him most as detective Julien Baptiste in The Missing. The BBC drama, which first aired in 2014, followed the desperate search for a five-year-old boy who vanished while on holiday in France.
The series was widely praised for its haunting storytelling and emotional depth, leading to 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
Beyond acting, Karyo was also an accomplished musician and songwriter. He released two albums, *Ce lien qui nous unit* (“The Link That Binds Us”) in 2006 and *Credo* in 2013, celebrating his 60th birthday through music.
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.”
Credit: Stephane Cardinale - Corbis/Corbis/Getty Images.
A second tragedy for ‘The Missing’ cast
Karyo’s death comes just seven months after the passing of his The Missing co-star Emile Dequenne, who died in March at age 43 after battling 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 death deeply affected the French film community and now, with Karyo’s passing, fans and colleagues alike are mourning the loss of another towering talent from the same acclaimed series.