Isabelle Mergault has passed away. Her family announced the sad news on March 20th in a statement sent to RTL, the radio station that broadcasts “Les Grosses Têtes.” A key figure in the show from 1988 to 1998 with Philippe Bouvard and later with Laurent Ruquier, she lost her battle with cancer. The family and friends of the director, actress, and comedian Isabelle Mergault are saddened to announce her passing this morning in Neuilly-sur-Seine after bravely fighting cancer for several months.
She had been absent from the airwaves for several weeks, and the host had given an update on January 6th. “We think of her, Isabelle will be back very soon. Many listeners ask me: ‘But why isn’t Isabelle here?’ Right now, she is absent, but she will return as soon as possible. We send our regards to Isabelle while thinking of Sacha Guitry,” he said.
The two had been very close for many years and collaborated extensively, including on television in “On n’demande qu’à en rire” and “L’émission pour tous.” Laurent Ruquier also cast her in his play titled “La presse est unanime,” which reignited her career. “I was disheartened because no one wanted me in the theater. I went to auditions. He wrote this, massive success. Thanks to him, I wrote my plays and had some credit on stage,” Isabelle Mergault had mentioned on Europe 1.
Isabelle Mergault was known to have a speech impediment known as a lisp. At the age of 18, her speech therapist advised her to keep this characteristic to stand out in the theater world. A wise choice, as she managed to establish herself on the basis of her talent and uniqueness. In 1979, she landed her first role in “La Dérobade” by Daniel Duval. In the 1980s, she played several comic supporting roles in various films and TV series.
In addition to her acting career, Isabelle Mergault excelled on the radio by joining “Les Grosses Têtes.” She also wrote screenplays and dialogues for movies like “Meilleur Espoir féminin” and “Je vous trouve très beau.” Her directorial debut earned her the César for best first film in 2007. An all-round artist, Isabelle Mergault also co-hosted the Eurovision with Laurent Ruquier and wrote several theater plays.
In her personal life, Isabelle Mergault never found true love nor felt the need to become a mother. However, she chose to adopt Maya, the daughter of a friend from Niger. “I didn’t want to adopt, I never wanted to have children, I was very happy on my own with my animals, and then I met Maya’s mother who was having difficulties,” she explained. Maya was raised by Isabelle Mergault while still maintaining a connection with her biological parents.
