Alain Delon, French movie legend, dies at 88 | CNN (2024)

Alain Delon, French movie legend, dies at 88 | CNN (1)

French actor Alain Delon on the set of Le Samourai, written and directed by Jean-Pierre Melville.

CNN

Alain Delon, the French actor, producer and writer whose cool, enigmatic beauty made him an international sex symbol, has died at the age of 88.

“He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family,” a family statement released to the AFP news agency said. Delon had been battling poor health in recent years and suffered a stroke in 2019.

French President Emmanuel Macron led tributes to the actor. “Melancholic, popular, secretive, he was more than a star: a Frenchmonument,” Macron said.

Delon will be remembered as an icon of French and European cinema, who worked with a host of celebrated directors. But he has been criticized for his controversial political views and attitude towards women. Feminists were aghast when he was awarded an honorary Palme d’Or late in his life.

Alain Delon, French movie legend, dies at 88 | CNN (2)

Delon receives his honorary Palme d'OrAward at the 72nd Cannes Film Festival in Cannes, France, on May 19, 2019.

Born in Sceaux, a suburb south of Paris, Delon had a turbulent childhood marked by his parents’ divorce and frequent expulsions from school, before serving in the French Navy and later taking on odd jobs in Paris.

He made his first appearance on film in 1957, playing a hitman in the thriller “Quand la femme s’en mêle,” titled “Send a Woman When the Devil Fails” in English.

This was to be the first of many anti-hero roles for Delon, who went on to become a major figure in European film in the 1960s, working with such lauded directors as René Clément (“Plein Soleil,” 1960, titled “Purple Noon” in the United States), Luchino Visconti (“Rocco and his Brothers,” 1960, and “The Leopard,” 1963) and Jean-Pierre Melville (“Le Samouraï,” 1967).

In 1968, Delon was caught up in a sex, drug and murder scandal involving French high society, known as the Markovic affair. He was questioned but never charged.

He also appeared in many English-language productions, including anthology movie “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” (1964) and Westerns “Texas Across the River” (1966), and “Red Sun” (1971), but he failed to replicate the success he enjoyed in European cinema.

Delon won a César Award, France’s equivalent of an Oscar, for best actor in 1985 for his role as an alcoholic in Bertrand Blier’s “Our Story.” He was also nominated for a Golden Globe for his performance as the passionate, penniless Tancredi in “The Leopard.”

In 1990, he starred as hitchhiker Lennox in ambitious drama “Nouvelle vague” (“New Wave”) directed by Jean-Luc Godard.

His star faded in his later years, but he reappeared on television around the turn of the century, playing veteran detectives in two miniseries: “Fabio Montale” (2002) and “Frank Riva” (2003-04).

In 2005, Delon was made an Officer in the French Legion of Honor for his contribution to world cinema.

Family feud and controversy

Delon’s last major public appearance was when he received a career-honoring Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019. Women’s rights groups critized the move, citing past statements from the actor in which he admitted slapping women. A petition asking not to honor him collected more than 25,000 signatures.

He was married to actress and model Nathalie Delon from 1964 to 1969 and the couple had one child, Anthony.

Delon had three other children: a son, Christian Boulogne, with singer and actress Nico, and Anouchka Delon and Alain-Fabien Delon with Dutch actress Rosalie van Breemen.

Alain Delon, French movie legend, dies at 88 | CNN (3)

Delon poses with his daughter Anouchka on the red carpet of the 72nd Cannes Film Festival before receiving hishonorary Palme d'OrAward in May 2019.

A polarizing figure, Delon had been criticized for his close relationship with Jean-Marie Le Pen, the figurehead of France’s far-right National Front party, with who he said he had “a 50-year friendship,” according to BFMTV.

He had also said he regretted the abolition of the death penalty, according to Reuters, and spoke out against same-sex marriage and the right for gay couples to adopt children.

As Delon’s health declined, his children became embroiled in a public dispute over their father’s health and care.

Anthony and Alain-Fabien had accused Anouchka of hiding Delon’s state of health from them and manipulating the actor, according to CNN affiliate BFMTV.

This followed a court battle in 2023 in which Delon’s children filed complaints against Hiromi Rollin, a close companion of the actor who had presented herself as his partner, for violence, harrassment and abuse, including against their father, according to the French news broadcaster.

Rollin, in return, filed a complaint against Delon’s children upon being evicted from his property in Douchy in northern central France, accusing them of gang violence and theft. All the ccomplaints were dismissed, according to BFMTV.

Alain Delon, French movie legend, dies at 88 | CNN (2024)

FAQs

Alain Delon, French movie legend, dies at 88 | CNN? ›

Alain Delon

Alain Delon
Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon (French: [alɛ̃ dəlɔ̃]; 8 November 1935 – 18 August 2024) was a French actor, film producer, screenwriter, and singer.
https://en.wikipedia.org › wiki › Alain_Delon
, the French actor, producer and writer whose cool, enigmatic beauty made him an international sex symbol, has died at the age of 88. “He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family,” a family statement released to the AFP news agency said.

Did Alain Delon pass away? ›

French film legend Alain Delon has died at the age of 88. The actor was a star of the golden era of French cinema, known for his tough-guy persona on screen in hits including The Samurai and Borsalino. Delon had been in poor health in recent years and had become a virtual recluse.

Did Alain Delon have kids? ›

Hours before the ceremony, a crowd had already begun to gather. Delon's three children -- who were with him when he died -- told AFP that they were "extremely touched by the fervour and affection shown by his fans in France and across the world." The ceremony is scheduled for 4:00 pm (1400 GMT).

Who is Alain Delon's partner now? ›

How old is Alain Delon today? ›

Alain Delon
Alain Delon CLH
BornAlain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon8 November 1935 Sceaux, France
Died18 August 2024 (aged 88) Douchy, France
CitizenshipFrance Switzerland
OccupationsActor film producer screenwriter singer
16 more rows

How many dogs did Alain Delon have? ›

“I've had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a special relationship with this one,” Delon told the magazine. “If I die before him, I'll ask the vet to take us away together. He'll put him to sleep in my arms.”

Who was Alain Delon true love? ›

Realty invites you into "The Love Nest of Alain Delon and Romy Schneider." The love story of Alain Delon and Romy Schneider resonates as a symbol of the 1960s, a time when the two French cinema legends were at the peak of their careers and their love.

Why is Alain Delon so famous? ›

The French star, who died Sunday, made more than 100 movies in a career that spanned 50 years, but for that one transformative decade in film history — beginning with the Patricia Highsmith adaptation “Purple Noon” (“Plein Soleil”) in 1960 and stretching through to his iconic turn in Jacques Deray's “La Piscine” — ...

What was the health of Alain Delon? ›

He was 88. Delon had been in poor health since suffering a stroke in 2019, rarely leaving his estate in Douchy, in France's Val de Loire region. With his striking blue eyes, Delon was sometimes referred to as the "French Frank Sinatra" for his handsome looks, a comparison Delon disliked.

How many movies was Alain Delon in? ›

Over the course of his career, Delon has starred in over 90 films in a variety of roles and genres.

Does Alain Delon live alone? ›

Towards the end of his life, he lived alone in a large estate, where there is a chapel for which he obtained the authorizations to be buried in. Madonna's song Beautiful killer on album MDNA is a tribute to Alain Delon.

Did Romy Schneider love Alain Delon? ›

So I went to Vienna, where the film was being shot, and it was there that I fell madly in love with you. And you fell in love with me.” After the film wrapped, the couple moved in together in Paris. The couple spent four years together, during which Delon became a leading man–and an international sex symbol.

Is Alain Delon a luxury brand? ›

Alain Delon brand

Attention to detail which helps to create unmistakable feeling of pure luxury is essential when producing ALAIN DELON garments. Suits, jackets and trousers are crafted using the best materials in both classic and modern colour combinations and patterns.

Is Nathalie Delon still alive? ›

Nathalie Delon (born Francine Canovas, also known as Nathalie Barthélémy; 1 August 1941 – 21 January 2021) was a French actress, model, film director and writer.

Is Ari Boulogne still alive? ›

Personal life and death

In 2001, he published a memoir Love Never Forgets in which he elaborates on his relationship with his mother. Boulogne was found dead in his Paris apartment on 20 May 2023, following a heroin overdose a month before.

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