At the age of 25, French film star Alain Delon was called ‘the most seductive man in the history of cinema’.
#AlainDelon pic.twitter.com/6EPeMNwQyn
— Alain Delon Society (@DelonSociety) July 14, 2023
When he appeared on screen, his ethereal beauty was breathtaking, and in real life, ‘ladies fainted at the mere sight of him’.
The actor, who was an international sex symbol from the 1960s to the 1980s, was embroiled in controversy: infidelity, family strife and even murder charges.
Alain Delon, 1960.#AlainDelon #film #FilmTwitter #TCMParty pic.twitter.com/JBj1Ot5hK9
— Alain Delon Society (@DelonSociety) January 23, 2023
After suffering a stroke in 2019, Delon led a quiet life, and after retiring from public life, his name resurfaced on 18 August 2024, the day he died at the age of 88.
No sooner had Alain Delon turned 21 than the future superstar was accused of stealing a jeep while serving in the French Navy, celebrating his 20th birthday in prison and hanging out with the wrong people.
‘I was destructive, very [undisciplined]… I was a bit of a monster; very rude,’ Delon told the Guardian.
Born on 8 November 1935 near Paris, Delon had a turbulent childhood and his teenage years were restless and rebellious, leading him into the ‘underworld’ of the Mediterranean.
In a 1970 interview with the New York Times, the 34-year-old Delon admitted that ‘most of the gangsters I know … were my friends before I became an actor.’ He continued: ‘I don’t care what my friend does. Everyone is responsible for their own actions. It doesn’t matter what they do.’
And if it weren’t for the many women who adored him, his life might have taken a different path.
At 82, Delon, whom GQ called a ‘megalomaniac,’ explained to a French publication why he chose to share his handsome face with the world: ‘I want to see in the eyes of these women that I am the most beautiful, the tallest, the strongest, and that’s why I became an actor.’
He ruled French cinema
Relying on his perfectly chiselled cheekbones and ice-blue eyes that melt hearts, Delon rose to fame in 1959 in the French comedy Weak Women, which brought him to international attention on the big screen.
His next starring role was as Tom Ripley in the 1960 film Brilliant Sunshine, based on the book The Talented Mr Ripley, which was reshot in 1999 with Matt Damon.
From the 1960s to the mid-1980s, Delon dominated the national box office and was the highest-paid actor in French history.
Despite considerable success in European cinema, he did not achieve the same recognition in Hollywood.
A notable exception was his performance alongside Burt Lancaster in the 1973 film Scorpion, in which Delon played the role of an assassin who became Scorpion’s apprentice.
Seule femme qu’Alain Delon épousera, Nathalie Delon lui donnera un fils, Anthony, au cours de ce mariage de quatre ans. Retour en images vintage sur ce couple français. –> https://t.co/CFC0jR90Cx pic.twitter.com/zBhPMWz2Mk
— Vogue France (@VogueFrance) September 7, 2024
National Scandal
The star’s career is not limited to acting, she has been involved in various businesses, using her fame and looks to build a successful brand. She has worked in the cosmetics world, using her image to promote branded products. Delon also dabbled in equestrianism, investing in a stable for racehorses with Jacqui ‘Le Mat’ Imbert, an infamous figure in Marseille’s underworld.
Delon’s links to the underworld became public when the scandal known as the ‘Markovic affair’ broke. The controversy began after Stéphane Markovitch, Delon’s former bodyguard and confidant, was found dead in a rubbish dump outside Paris in a discarded bag with a bullet in his head. This shocking discovery led to an investigation that brought Delon into the spotlight. Although Delon was questioned by the police and eventually found to be uninvolved in the case, it caused a national scandal and highlighted his connections to the underworld.
Love, affairs and children
In 1959, Delon became engaged to actress Romy Schneider, whom he met on the set of the 1958 film Christine. Before his breakup with Schneider in 1964, he had an affair with Nico, a German actress and singer. In 1962, his first son, Christian Boulogne, was born. Cut off from his father from birth, Boulogne (aka Ari Päffgen) died of an apparent overdose in 2023.
Also in 1962, during an affair with Austrian actress Marisa Mell, he married his only wife Nathalie Barthelemy (now Delon), who was pregnant with Anthony Delon (born September 1964).
After several new romances, Delon met Dutch model Rosalie van Bremen, and during their relationship (1987-2001) the couple had two children, Anoushka (born 1990) and daughter Alain-Fabienne (1994).
All three of their children are actors in the French film industry.
Family feud
Delon’s relationship with his sons has never worked out, and he has made it clear that he has a favourite child.
‘I have one daughter who is the love of my life, maybe a bit too much for the rest of us,’ he told the Guardian. ‘No other woman I’ve ever said ‘I love you’ to so often.’
Delon has drawn up a will so that half of his fortune will go to 33-year-old Anouschka and the other half will be divided between his sons Anthony, 59, and Alain-Fabien, 30.
According to French newspaper Le Monde, his problems with his sons stemmed from the fact that he saw them as industrial rivals. ‘There is no doubt that his ego – as insecure as it was strong – made him see his sons as potential rivals to be crushed,’ the publication wrote of the tragic feud between his sons and daughter.
Death
In 2019, Delon suffered a stroke that left him incapacitated. Retreating from the spotlight, the critically acclaimed actor became a recluse.
Alain Delon with his daughter Anouchka, yesterday.
— Alain Delon Society (@DelonSociety) May 17, 2023
📷 : https://t.co/KTjRuI6A8F#AlainDelon #film #FilmTwitter pic.twitter.com/U2yuS1xG6S
And so on August 18, 2024, at the age of 88, the producer and theatre actor who touched the hearts of people around the world passed away, French media reported.
French President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to the ‘French monument’ on X-day.
‘Alain Delon played legendary roles and made the world dream,’ he wrote. ‘Melancholy, popular, enigmatic, he was more than a star.’
Despite the bitter feud, Delon’s children shared their fond memories on social media. ‘Thank you all, his beloved viewers, for these spontaneous, heartfelt congratulations,’ Anthony wrote on his Instagram on August 27. ‘He continues to live in grace and through you.’
On the same day, Alain-Fabien shared a beautiful photo of him with his elderly father.
‘Lowering the curtain, eternal beautiful night, I know you found them up there and you’re okay. I miss you so much. Love you daddy,’ she writes, and then signs off with “Alf”.
Rest in peace, Alain Delon. What are your favourite films featuring this wonderful actor? Please share your thoughts with us and then share this story with your friends so we can send our best wishes to the family in their time of grief.
