Moving Forward After Loss
- Pierce Brosnan, 68, looks dashing in his new movie, The King's Daughter. Some fans might not be familiar with the story of heartbreak and perseverance that lies behind his illustrious career.
- Brosnan lost his first wife and his daughter to the same “insidious disease”: ovarian cancer. His wife passed at 43, and his daughter passed at 41.
- Brosnan's heartbreak is still a part of him, but the love he has found in his life since his losses and his continued professional success remind us that there are always more beautiful things to experience, even after profound loss.
The King's Daughter is a romantic fantasy set at Versailles and based on the 1997 novel The Moon and the Sun by Vonda McIntyre. The movie was shot at the Palace of Versailles, and Brosnan stars as King Louis XIV. The movie features a star studded cast, and is narrated by legendary actress Julie Andrews. It will hit theaters on January 21.
The Actor's Journey with Cancer
Read MoreThe superstar actor has spoken publicly about the devastation and grief he experienced through these losses. "I was in a helpless state of confusion and anger," he told People. Speaking at the Stand Up To Cancer telecast in 2014, Brosnan said, "To watch someone you love have his or her life eaten away bit by bit by this insidious disease, that part of your sorrow becomes an indelible part of your psyche. I held the generous, strong, beautiful hand of my first wife Cassie as ovarian cancer took her life much too soon. Just last year, I held the hand of my funny, wonderful daughter Charlotte, before she too died from this wretched inherited disease."
Brosnan's heartbreak is still a part of him, but the love he has found in his life since his losses and his continued professional success remind us that there are always more beautiful things to experience, even after profound loss.
Finding Peace After Loss
Brosnan stayed right by his first wife Cassandra's side while she battled ovarian cancer. She fought for four years, before eventually succumbing to the disease. For Brosnan to lose his daughter Charlotte to the same disease is almost unimaginable. This particular cancer has made a huge impact on their family, seeing as Cassandra's mother also from ovarian cancer. Since Brosnan's loved ones have passed, the actor has become an advocate for raising awareness about cancer screening and diagnosis, and his story has inspired many.
Doug Wednt lost his wife to ovarian cancer. Here, he discusses facing cancer as a team, and moving forward after losing a loved one to cancer.
Coping with losing his wife and daughter was understandably an extremely difficult process for Brosnan, but he was able to find peace through art and meeting his second wife Keely. Brosnan and his wife Keely met in 1994, and the actor has said she's helped him heal from heartbreak. Having been together for 26 years, and married for nearly 20, Brosnan is proof that even though losing loved ones is always difficult, it's possible to move forward and make new, incredible memories.
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