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Benoit Rousseau, the celebrated voice actor renowned for his roles in the French Canadian version of “The Simpsons,” has passed away at the age of 66. Rousseau was the voice behind characters such as Duffman, Grandpa Simpson, and Mr. Burns in the beloved animated series. His passing was confirmed through an obituary in Montreal, which also included information about his forthcoming funeral. Although the exact cause of death was not disclosed, he had previously been reported to be battling cancer.
The Union des Artistes shared the somber news on Instagram, posting a heartfelt tribute alongside a photo of Rousseau. “We are deeply saddened by the passing of actor, stuntman, set director, adaptor, and musician Benoit Rousseau,” the post read. “He was widely known for dubbing the voices of Nicolas Cage and Dwayne Johnson in films, and especially for his work as Mr. Burns and Abraham Simpson in The Simpsons in Quebec, a role he dedicated over 30 years to. Our thoughts are with his family, friends, and colleagues during this difficult time.”
Rousseau’s illustrious career extended beyond “The Simpsons.” He lent his voice to numerous Disney productions in French Canada, including the beloved characters in 1995’s “Toy Story” and its sequel, “Toy Story 2,” released in 1999.
His talents also graced other animated hits such as “Finding Nemo” in 2003 and “The Incredibles” in 2004, as well as its sequel, “The Incredibles 2,” released in 2018.
In addition to animations, Rousseau voiced characters in major live-action blockbusters for the region, including “Thor: Ragnarok” in 2017 and “Ant-Man and the Wasp” in 2018, showcasing his versatility and enduring impact on the industry.
He attained a whole new fanbase in 2007 when he dubbed the character of Tom Banachek in Transformers
, and in 2009 he returned to the franchise voicing Jetfire in Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.
Tributes flooded in for the star as news of his death became public. One person commented on Instagram: “That’s sad, he was really nice, my sympathies to his whole family.”
Another simply added: “Goodbye sir, thank you for all your work over the years.” A third chimed in: “Oh nooo I loved his work. Sympathies to the whole family.”
He is survived by his wife, Johanne Léveillé, the Rousseau and Léveillé families, and many friends.