Bun Hay Mean, an internationally beloved French comedian known for his roles in films like The Chef, has passed away.
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Mean tragically fell from the eighth floor of a building in Paris’ 17th arrondissement on Thursday, according to a report by the French outlet Le Parisien. He was 43.
Mean’s management agency, the Promotion Philippe Delmas Organisation, announced his passing through an official statement shared on both his and the agency’s Instagram accounts.
“It is with infinite sadness that we must announce the passing of our friend, our immense artist, Bun Hay Mean,” the agency wrote. “He was scheduled to leave for Montreal late this morning to perform July 11. He was so happy to be back on stage, with his audience.”
The agency added that Mean “slipped and fell several stories” while attempting to retrieve his phone from a balcony gutter shortly before leaving for Montreal.
“We are devastated, and our thoughts are with his family: his mother, his father, his brothers and sisters,” the agency’s statement concluded.
Mean had over 30 stand-up shows scheduled for his Kill Bun tour, with performances across France every month from October to May.
“It was with great sadness that we learned of Bun Hay Mean’s passing, just as he was preparing to perform his show in Montreal,” The Singular Agency, which was handling Mean’s Montreal show, wrote in a statement.
“We were looking forward to welcoming him here. All our thoughts are with his loved ones and family. Rest in peace, Bun,” the agency wrote.
Bun Hay Mean Lived on the Streets of Paris Before His Big Break
Born in Lormont, Bordeaux, in 1981 to a Cambodian father and Chinese mother, Mean studied computer science before moving to Paris in his mid-20s to pursue comedy. After a period of homelessness, he began acting in the early 2010s, appearing in films like De L’huile sur le Feu and The Chef with Jean Reno, as well as shows like Roxane and Reboot.
Mean gained recognition in Paris’s comedy scene in 2014 with the Jamel Comedy Club and his debut stand-up show, Chinois Marrant dans la Légende de Bun Hay Mean.
Per IMDb, Mean also appeared in films such as Problemos and The Misadventures of Hedi and Cokeman, as well as TV shows like Craignos and Platane. In 2023, he joined the Asterix franchise, playing the villain Prince Deng Tsin Qin in The Middle Kingdom.