Shock waves in the cultural milieu of Quebec: the popular comedian Michel Côté suspends his career to undergo treatment for a disease of the bone marrow, which he was recently diagnosed with.
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Photo d’archives, Agence QMI
Michel Cote
The 71-year-old actor announced this sad and disturbing news in a press release issued this followingnoon.
No details were given on the seriousness of the disease, but the comedian has decided to withdraw from public life “for an indefinite period”, according to the press release.
Michel Côté is surrounded by his family to lead this fight.
His long-time spouse, actress Véronique Le Flaguais, and their sons, actor Maxime Le Flaguais and Charles Côté, who is an architect, are at his bedside.
The media were asked to “respect his privacy so that he can devote himself entirely to this treatment and thus recover his health”.
Michel Côté was already more discreet on the public scene since he announced that he was reducing his professional activities, following the release of the comedy From father to cop 2 – his last film role – in 2017.
One of his most recent public appearances was last January, when he appeared on the show Children of TV with Véronique and Maxime Le Flaguais. A few weeks earlier, he had given several media interviews to pay tribute to Jean-Marc Vallée following the filmmaker’s sudden death on December 25. Let us recall that Vallée had given him, in 2005, one of his most memorable roles in the cinema, that of the father, in his film C.R.A.Z.Y.
People’s favorite
A favorite actor of the public, Michel Côté has won several Gémeaux, Génie and Jutra awards. In addition to the mythical piece Brouewhich he played more than 3,000 times on stage from 1979 to 2017, the comedian from Alma also shone on the small screen in the series The little life, Omerta and at Bye Bye (1979-1986).
Photo d’archives
Here with Jean-Marc Vallée, Marc-André Grondin and Danielle Proulx during the presentation of the Jutras in 2006. CRAZY had then won 14 statuettes.
In the cinema, he has often been described as the box office champion in Quebec because he starred in several successful films such as C.R.A.Z.Y., Piché, between heaven and earth, Cruising bar, The sense of humor and From father to cop 1 and 2.
Joined today, comedian Marcel Gauthier, one of his playing partners in Brouedid not want to comment, simply saying “you have to have hope”.
On social networks, several public figures joined their voices to send messages of encouragement to the actor.
“Michel Côté is probably the best actor in the history of Quebec. Meet him on C.R.A.Z.Y. was a special moment in my acting career. I learn with sadness his withdrawal from public life for health reasons. I wish him courage, strength and resilience, ”wrote actor and Bloc Québécois MP Denis Trudel on Twitter.
A peaceful retreat
Photo archives, Martin Alarie
As a couple for nearly 50 years, the actor and Véronique Le Flaguais have walked many red carpets.
In an interview with the QMI Agency in December 2018, Michel Côté seemed very happy with his new life as a retiree.
“My retirement is to see my grandchildren, to play sports. Speedwell [Le Flaguais] and I travel. We went to Scandinavia in September. We enjoy life. And I wonder how I would do to work so busy I am! “, had confided Michel Côté.
“I’m 68, I have grandchildren, I love my life now, and I don’t feel like working for the sake of working. I’ve saved up, and I don’t need more than I have. […] It’s going to take an exceptional script and role to get me out of retirement! “, he said. Last February, Michel Côté and Véronique Le Flaguais put their Outremont home up for sale for $3,195,000. The house was recently sold.
At the start of the pandemic, the couple had gone to settle full-time in their country house, in Estrie. In interview at Journal in May 2020, Michel Côté said he was taking advantage of the confinement period to restore his barn door, take long walks in the open air, read and even learn to bake his own bread.
“I don’t stop for a minute, had launched the actor, laughing. I take this opportunity to do work and lots of things that I had not yet had the opportunity to do before. »
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