Alain Delon was not just a popular artist — he became a symbol of an era. The cold, detached gaze of his characters drove millions of female fans around the world crazy. It seemed that the fate of such a man was endless glamour, grand premieres, enthusiastic crowds and a life that resembled a never-ending party.
But, as is often the case, a completely different reality was hidden behind the glamorous facade. Imagine: the last years of the legend’s life turned into a dubious family drama with dirty arguments — and the main participants in it turned out to be his own children. And yes, if you are expecting to see exemplary ‘love for dad’ there, it was clearly lacking in this story.
Money, jealousy, accumulated resentment — everything mixed into such a toxic cocktail that it ultimately poisoned the twilight years of the great actor. Now I will tell you how the people closest to him essentially pulled the blanket over themselves while those around them watched it unfold almost like a TV series.
Contents
- ‘The Japanese woman who knew too much’: squeezing out the last love?
- The battle for millions: ‘Father, you’re out of your mind!’
- ‘You are not my son’: a story they preferred not to talk about
- Dogged loyalty and the last scandal
‘The Japanese woman who knew too much’: squeezing out the last love?
Let’s start with the woman who, according to many, was close to Delon in his final years — Hiromi Rollin. Who is she really? Here, opinions differ, as in a cheap detective novel. She claimed that she had been his companion since the early 1990s and lived with him as one. But Delon’s children — Anthony, Anouchka and Alain-Fabien — referred to her only as a ‘companion’ or assistant. The difference, you must agree, is fundamental.
In July 2023, about a year before Delon’s death, the children unexpectedly presented a united front (which was rare for this family) and managed to have Hiromi Rolland removed from the estate in Douche. It all looked like a scene from a film: security guards, police, a loud scandal.
She was immediately charged with a whole range of offences:
- allegedly mistreating the ageing actor;
- monitoring his correspondence and telephone conversations;
- and, as the culmination, according to the family, treating his beloved dog Lubo cruelly.
You have to admit, the story sounds disturbing. But if you try to look at it soberly, the question inevitably arises: did they get rid of a person who could have been an unwanted contender for the inheritance? Hiromi claimed that she was literally thrown out — without her personal belongings or money. No matter how you look at it, there is no smoke without fire, but the methods used by the children seem questionable. They acted too cohesively against her, even though they had previously struggled to find common ground.
The battle for millions: ‘Father, you’re out of your mind!’
As soon as the ‘uncomfortable figure’ disappeared from the house, the family unity instantly fell apart. The main issue came to the fore — a fortune estimated at around 300 million euros. An amount that could turn anyone’s head, you must agree.
And that’s when the real confrontation began: mutual accusations, public statements, doubts about the father’s sanity, and attempts to prove one’s own rightness. The family drama finally turned into open warfare.
The main line of confrontation was between the eldest son, Anthony, and the one whom many considered to be ‘Daddy’s favourite’ — Anushka. At the same time, Delon himself was reportedly declared incapacitated in early 2024, meaning that he could no longer manage his finances independently or make legally significant decisions.
What, in essence, was the drama about?
Anouchka (considered by the family to be ‘daddy’s princess’) insisted on moving her father to Switzerland. According to her, this was for the sake of treatment and more peaceful care.
Her brothers interpreted this differently: they said it was about profit and an attempt to avoid French taxes. And in the most heated conversations, an even darker version emerged — that abroad, if necessary, it would be easier to resolve the issue of euthanasia.
Anthony and Alain-Fabien, for their part, actively brought the conflict into the public arena: they claimed that their sister was allegedly not telling the whole truth about their father’s real condition and was dosing out information in a way that suited her. Anthony even gave a high-profile interview in which he said that Delon had ‘weakened’ considerably and was in such a bad psychological state that, according to his son, he ‘couldn’t look at his own reflection.’
The younger brother, Alain-Fabien, went even further: he posted a hidden audio recording of a conversation online in which, according to the brothers, Anushka convinces their father to stay away from them and shapes his attitude towards them. The message boiled down to ‘they treat you like a helpless person’ — something along those lines. And you can’t help but wonder: what was it like for an elderly, sick man to exist in an atmosphere where his relatives were fighting not for their lives, but for publicity? Such family feuds drain one’s strength no less than illness — and here, on top of that, they are on display for the whole country to see.
‘You are not my son’: a story they preferred not to talk about
We cannot ignore Ari Boulogne — a man who was often referred to as Delon’s unrecognised son by singer Nico. For years, he tried to gain recognition of his kinship and prove that he was connected to the actor not only by legends and rumours. The most bitter thing in this story is the words attributed to Delon: ‘You are my friend, but not my son’ because ‘you are not like me’. Even if we disregard the details, the essence of this statement sounds cruel: for a man who spent his entire life seeking one answer, such a rejection becomes a personal tragedy.
Ari died in 2023, never having received recognition. The reason was painfully prosaic: an overdose. What happened next shocked many: Delon made no public statement and did not make any noticeable gesture. Only Anthony limited himself to a short post on social media. For some, this became a ‘dark spot’ on the image of the legend: yes, he was great in cinema, but in human history there is too much silence and cold decisions surrounding him — and this leaves a bitter aftertaste.
Dog loyalty and the last scandal
There is another detail that particularly affected many people. Delon reportedly wanted his sheepdog Lubo to be put down and buried with him. He explained this in his own way: he did not want the animal to suffer without its owner and then suffer ‘at his grave.’ This wish, expressed as if out of concern, sounded frightening to the public — and added another resonant, painful touch to an already difficult family drama.
It sounds almost ‘touching,’ but animal rights activists immediately raised a fuss: putting down a healthy dog just because its owner died is not about love, but cruelty. Fortunately, after the actor’s death, the family, faced with public pressure, abandoned this idea — Lubo was allowed to live.
Was this an ending he didn’t deserve?
Alain Delon passed away on 18 August 2024 at the age of 88.
He was buried at his family estate in Douzy, in a chapel on the grounds, next to the cemetery he had created for his dogs, where, according to press reports, at least 35 of his pets are laid to rest.
It is sad to realise all this. The cinema legend, a symbol of an entire era, did not pass away in peace and dignity, but against a backdrop of public quarrels, court proceedings and mutual recriminations from his own children. Instead of tranquillity and care, the last years of his life resembled a protracted scandalous soap opera.
If you think about it, there is something truly frightening about this: dedicating your life to your career, achieving worldwide recognition, raising children — and ultimately finding yourself at the centre of a family war. The story is not about fame, but about human fragility.
One gets the feeling that at some point he simply ran out of steam. He was tired of illness, of age, of the endless pressure and conflicts around him. And perhaps most of all, he was tired of the fact that the people closest to him were unable to keep the peace when he needed it most.
