French actor Alain Delon was dubbed the “most seductive man in cinema history” when he was just 25 years old.
His unearthly good looks mesmerized audiences when he debuted on television, and in real life, “ladies would pass out at the mere sight of him.”
However, the actor, who was a global sex icon in the 1960s and 1980s, had a turbulent personal history full of scandals, including infidelity, family disputes, and even a murder charge.
Following a stroke in 2019, Delon became silent. Ever since withdrawing from the public eye, his name has only surfaced on August 18, 2024, the day he passed away at the age of 88.
Alain Delon was arrested for stealing a Jeep while serving in the French Navy, spend his 20th birthday in jail, and mixed with the worst kind of people before he turned 21.
“I was terribly [undisciplined] and disruptive.I was a very rough little monster, Delon said to the Guardian.
Born on November 8, 1935, in a little town outside of Paris, Delon experienced a turbulent upbringing. His restless and rebellious adolescence led him to the “underworlds” of the Mediterranean.
A 34-year-old Delon acknowledged that “most of the gangsters I know…were my friends before I became an actor” in a 1970 interview with The New York Times. “I don’t worry about what a friend does,” he said. Everyone is in charge of their own actions. It makes no difference what he does.
And his life may have taken a different turn if it weren’t for the countless ladies who were yearning after him.
In an interview with a French magazine at the age of 82, Delon—dubbed a “megalomaniac” by GQ—explained why he chose to make his attractive face public:”I became an actor because I want these women to think I’m the most attractive, tallest, and strongest person.”
dominated the French film industry
Relying heavily on his exquisitely sculpted cheekbones and heart-melting icy blue eyes, Delon burst onto the world scene in 1959’s French comedy Women are Weak.
His next significant appearance was as Tom Ripley in the 1960 movie Purple Moon, which was adapted from the novel The Talented Mr. Ripley. Matt Damon starred in the film’s renowned 1999 remake.
Delon was the highest-paid actor in French history and controlled the national box office from the 1960s to the mid-1980s.
Furthermore, he did not receive the same level of recognition in Hollywood as he did in Europe, despite his significant success there.
One noteworthy exception was when Delon costarred with Burt Lancaster in the 1973 movie Scorpio, in which the latter played the part of Scorpio, an apprentice hitman.
nationwide scandal
The actor’s career included a number of business endeavors where he used his notoriety and good looks to build a strong brand. He worked in the cosmetics industry, using his reputation to endorse branded goods. Delon also experimented with horse racing, joining forces with infamous Marseille criminal underworld figure Jacky “Le Mat” Imbert to invest in a racehorse stable.
Delon’s ties to the criminal underworld came to light following the emergence of the “Markovic Affair” controversy. The controversy started when Stefan Markovic, Delon’s former bodyguard and confidant, was discovered dead in a bag left in a landfill outside of Paris with a bullet wound to his head. This startling finding sparked an inquiry that elevated Delon to prominence. Delon was cleared of all charges after being questioned by the police, but the affair turned into a national scandal that exposed his ties to the criminal underworld.
Love, relationships, and children
After meeting actor Romy Schneider on the 1958 film Christine’s set, Delon became engaged to Schneider in 1959. He had an affair with German singer and actor Nico before divorcing Schneider in 1964. Christian Boulogne was his first child, born in 1962. Boulogne, also known as Ari Päffgen, was denied by his father from birth and passed away in 2023 from what appeared to be an overdose.
In 1962, he married his sole spouse, Nathalie Barthélémy (now Delon), while he was having an affair with the Austrian performer Marisa Mell. At the time of the marriage, Nathalie was expecting Anthony Delon, who was born in September 1964.
After having multiple extramarital encounters, Delon eventually dated Dutch model Rosalee van Breemen. From 1987 until 2001, the couple had two children together: daughter Anouchka (born 1990) and son Alain-Fabien (1994).
The three children work as actors in French films.
Family conflict
Delon never tried to build a relationship with his sons and was very clear about whose child he preferred.
He told the Guardian, “I have a daughter who is the love of my life, maybe a little too much in comparison to the others.” “I have never said I love you so often to any other woman.”
Additionally, Delon made arrangements in his will for Anouchka, 33, to receive half of his assets, with the remaining half being divided between his sons Anthony, 59, and Alain-Fabien, 30.
According to the French daily Le Monde, he has problems with his sons because he views them as competitors in the same company. The magazine details the terrible rivalry that developed between his sons and daughter, saying, “No doubt his ego – as uncertain as it was immense – made him consider his sons as potential rivals who he needed to smash.”
Demise
Delon was rendered incapacitated by a stroke in 2019. Withdrawing from public view, the highly regarded performer turned reticent.
And according to French media, the producer and stage actor who made hearts race across the globe passed away on August 18, 2024, at the age of 88.
Emmanuel Macron, the president of France, honored “a French monument” on X.
He wrote, “Alain Delon has made the world dream and played legendary roles.” “Morning, well-liked, reticent, he was more than just a celebrity.”
Delon’s kids posted some heartfelt condolences on social media in spite of their acrimonious conflict. Anthony posts on Instagram on August 27th, saying, “Thanks to all of you, his loved audience, for these spontaneous tributes from the heart.” “His continued life is due to grace and your influence.”
Alain-Fabien posted a touching remembrance that day, complete with a picture of him and his aging father.
“Lowering the curtain, eternally lovely night, I’m sure you’re okay and that you found them up there.” I really do miss you. He writes, “I love you, Daddy,” and ends with the letter “Alf.”
And Anouchka posted her devastating sentiments on Instagram the day before her stepbrothers expressed their opinions.
“I’ll think of you often. to conquer my phobia. Above all, please don’t say anything at all; I’m too fine.There.In the post from August 26, she says, “You know, only you know, how much I love you.” “Without you, I could never…ever survive. I cherish you. Do you also? I cherish you, Daddy.
