How did Adama Niane die? French actor known for playing Leonard Kone in 'Lupin' dies at 56
PARIS, FRANCE: French actor Adama Niane has died at the age of 56. The actor is best known for playing Leonard Kone on Netflix’s 2021 heist show ‘Lupin'. Since the tragic news broke, a number of tributes have been flowing in from everywhere, with co-star Omar Sy leading the condolences. Sy’s tweet had been written in French and read, “I extend my deep condolences to the loved ones of Adama Niane, an immense actor alongside whom I had the chance and the pleasure of playing. A man of rare benevolence… May his soul rest in peace." Niane's cause of death has not been revealed so far.
French filmmaker Olivier Abbou, with whom Niane had worked with in ‘Get In', also posted a tribute on his Instagram account through a post, that read, “It is with immense sadness that I learned of the passing of Adama Niane with whom I had the pleasure of working on the 2 seasons of Maroni and Fury. We haven't left each other for 4 years, sharing intense human and artistic adventures at the end of the world, Guyana, St Pierre and Miquelon. He was engaged, lit, whole, talented, powerful. He was my hero, a friend, a partner in crime. Go in peace.”
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J’adresse mes profondes condoléances aux proches d’Adama Niane, immense acteur au côté duquel j’ai eu la chance et le plaisir de jouer.
— Omar Sy (@OmarSy) January 29, 2023
Un homme d’une bienveillance rare…Que son âme puisse reposer en paix. pic.twitter.com/aGdhYMf4gG
Niane was last seen on the TV series, ‘L’lle aux 30 Cercueils’ (The Island of 30 Coffins), im which he played the role of Yannick Lantry. However, his character of assassin and ex-convict Leonard Kone in ‘Lupin’, brought him international fame. The character is based on the novels by Maurice LeBlanc, written over a century ago.
The show became a runaway hit, with ‘Lupin’ becoming the first French show ever to achieve a spot on the coveted Netflix ‘Top 10’ list. The show had been watched by millions in many countries including Brazil, Vietnam, Argentina, Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland. The show is based on LeBlanc’s novels, which follow the story of a man named Assane Diop, who lives a life the way Arsene Lupin, a thief, lived. While there have been many adaptations of the story over the years, it was the Netflix adaptation that has gained the most popularity.
