Actor Philippe Nahon, who had acted in numerous supporting roles in cinema and television before being popularized by filmmaker Gaspar Noé and the young generation of directors of the 1990s, such as Jacques Audiard or Mathieu Kassovitz, died on Sunday , we learned from his family.
Aged 81, he died “of a long illness, aggravated by Covid-19 infection,” said his wife.
After having started in “Le Doulos” by Jean-Pierre Melville (1962), he worked mainly for television, chaining dramas and series like “The last five minutes” or “Commissioner’s inquiries Maigret” in the 1970s and 1980s, spaced from appearances in the theater and supporting roles in cinema (“The red pullover” in 1979; “Clara and the chic types” in 1981…).
He started his career with Jean-Pierre Melville 60 years ago.
Magnificent second role of French cinema, we had seen it at Gaspar Noé, Jacques Audiard, Christophe Gans, Matthieu Kassovitz, @fabriceduwelz and even Steven Spielberg.#RIP Philippe Nahon (1938–2020). pic.twitter.com/CRl39W9Oz8– Story Series / Movies / Classic (@OCS_Story) April 19, 2020
Even at Spielberg
In 1991, he starred in Gaspar Noé’s first medium-length film, “Carne”, presented at the Critics’ Week in Cannes. “We fell in love with each other to make this film and after that it was very important to me to continue with him,” said the Argentinian director. This will be the case in “Seul contre tous” (1998). In the meantime he will become a valued actor of a new generation of filmmakers, with roles in “La Haine” or “Les rivières pourpres” by Mathieu Kassovitz, “Un hero very discrete” by Jacques Audiard or “Cantique de la racaille” by Vincent Ravalec.
“While being extremely upright, he could play twisted and complicated roles and make them endearing,” remembers Gaspar Noé, for whom “working with him was like going on vacation with a friend”.
I learn with great sorrow the disappearance of Philippe Nahon. All my thoughts to his …
Damn, how sad …#GoustanLeCruel
– Alexandre Astier (@AAstierOff) April 19, 2020
Mathieu Kassovitz praised “the actor of cinema lovers and an outstanding actor”, Albert Dupontel, who had played with him in “Irréversible”, “a rare actor, of an extraordinary sensitivity and sincerity (… ) gone into infinity, its true dimension “. “He became the actor of a generation and I am happy to have crossed his path,” recalled the Belgian director Fabrice Du Welz, who had directed him in “Calvaire” (2004).
“Damn it is sad,” tweeted Alexandre Astier, for whom he had played “Goustan the cruel” in the Kaamelott series, while the Cinémathèque paid tribute to “a life of cinema” extended “over 60 years of sets , the hexagonal cinema surveyed in all directions, from Doillon, Féret, Nicloux, Fabrice Du Welz to Besson, Gans, Corneau, Perrault, Audiard, Fillières or Kassovitz. A visit to Spielberg, too. And then, Gaspar Noé. “
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