Quebec actor Michel Cote, known for film and theatre roles, dead at 72
Quebec actor Michel Cote, who captivated audiences with his roles in the theatre piece "Broue" and films such as "Cruising Bar" and "C.R.A.Z.Y.," has died at 72, his family said Monday.
Cote retired from public life just over a year before his death to undergo treatment for a bone marrow disease.
The actor was a favourite in Quebec, and received a lifetime achievement award in 2013 at the Jutra awards.
Quebec Premier Francois Legault paid tribute to Cote on social media, describing him as one of Quebec's great actors.
"I still laugh out loud at Broue, Cruising Bar, La petite vie, but I also remember his touching role in C.R.A.Z.Y.," Legault wrote on Twitter. He added that Cote was set to receive the National Order of Quebec in the coming weeks.
Cote's career began in 1983 with a role in Andre Forcier's film "Au clair de la lune," starring Guy L'Ecuyer.
He appeared in at least 25 films and some 20 television series. In between shoots, he appeared on stage in the evenings to perform in the theatre piece "Broue" with his friends Marc Messier and Marcel Gauthier -- which he did for 38 years until 2017.
His last film role was in "De pere en flic 2," which came out in 2017. More recently, he gave an emotional tribute to the director Jean-Marc Vallee, who died suddenly on Christmas Day in 2021 and who cast Cote in a memorable role in the 2005 film "C.R.A.Z.Y."
He was honoured in January 2022 during an emotional special on the Radio-Canada program "Les Enfants de la tele," where he appeared with his partner Veronique Le Flaguais and their son Maxime, who are both also actors.
News of the death sent a shockwave through Quebec's political and artistic communities, with many prominent personalities joining Legault in paying tribute to a man they described as a "giant" and a "genius on screen."
Denis Trudel, a Bloc Quebecois MP and actor, said he had fond memories of working with Cote on "C.R.A.Z.Y."
"Kind, funny, endearing, hard working, always a good word for everyone," he said. "A terrible loss for all Quebec."
Author Simon Boulerice published a photo of himself and Cote on Instagram, along with a farewell tribute.
"Goodbye to this great man who was so kind, with dazzling talent," he wrote. "Michel Cote was elegance incarnate. No wonder people loved him so much."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 29, 2023
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.
Fallen crypto mogul Sam Bankman-Fried sentenced to 25 years in prison
Crypto entrepreneur Sam Bankman-Fried was sentenced Thursday to 25 years in prison for a massive fraud that unravelled with the collapse of FTX, once one of the world's most popular platforms for exchanging digital currency.
A dog and a bird formed an unlikely friendship. Their separation has infuriated followers
Peggy is a stout and muscular Staffordshire bull terrier, and Molly is a magpie, an Australian bird best known for swooping on humans during breeding season, not for befriending dogs. But in an emotional video posted online, Peggy’s owners announced that the animals had been separated.
Tipping is off the table at this Toronto restaurant
A Toronto restaurant introduced a surprising new rule that reduced the cost of a meal and raised the salaries of staff.