French actor Tchéky Karyo, who had a starring role in the film Nikita and the TV series The Missing, has died aged 72.

Karyo, who was born in Turkey but grew up in Paris, died of a cancer on Friday, his agent told AFP news agency. Known largely for supporting roles, Karyo acted in films for nearly four decades, finding a second career in TV series in his final years.

First making his mark in crime thriller La Balance (1982), he played the handler Bob in Luc Besson’s assassin film Nikita (1990).

BBC audiences may chiefly remember him for his role as the TV detective Julien Baptiste in The Missing (2009).

Karyo’s wife, actress Valérie Keruzoré, and their children announced his death, AFP adds.

He was born on 4 October 1953 in Istanbul, the son of a Turkish lorry driver of Spanish-Jewish origin and a Greek mother, Le Monde newspaper writes.

After several years as a theatrical actor, Karyo saw his role in La Balance earn him a nomination for the César Award for Best Male Revelation.

With his strong jaw and penetrating stare, he went on to play in dozens of films of all kinds, often in hard man roles.

Other French films included Besson’s Joan of Arc (1993) and the anti-war epic A Very Long Engagement (2004), while he was cast in Ridley Scott’s 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992) and in the James Bond film GoldenEye (1995).

One of his starring roles was as the medieval prophet Nostradamus in the 1994 film of the same name, while his tiniest role was undoubtedly in Amélie (2001) where he only appeared as a face in an ID photo in an album.

The detective he portrayed in The Missing, known and loved by viewers for his methodical crime-solving skills, landed him a second series, followed by two series of a spin-off, Baptiste.

Just two years ago he was back in a different role in BBC comedy thriller Boat Story.