Alain Delon, a cherished and internationally renowned French actor famed for his dual portrayals of villains and heroes, has died at the age of 88, according to French media reports. Delon, with his mesmerizing looks and sensitive demeanor, held an alluring combination of grit and vulnerability, establishing himself as one of France’s most unforgettable leading men. Beyond his prolific acting career, he also ventured into producing, theater, and later, television movies.
His children broke the news of his death on Sunday in a statement to the French national news agency, Agence France-Presse, in line with a common practice in France. As the news spread, social media was flooded with tributes, and major French media outlets shifted their focus to cover the illustrious career and life journey of Delon.
FILE – French actor Alain Delon is escorted by American actresses Jane Davenport, left, and Pamela Huntington after their arrival from New York at Orly airport in Paris on Aug.19, 1970.
| Photo Credit: LAURENT REBOURS
Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the peak of his career, Delon was highly sought after by some of the greatest directors, including Luchino Visconti and Joseph Losey. However, in his later years, Delon became disenchanted with the film industry, lamenting that commercialism had destroyed its magic. “Money, commerce and television have wrecked the dream machine. My cinema is dead. And me, too,” he wrote in the 2003 edition of Le Nouvel Observateur. Despite his disenchantment, Delon continued to work steadily, featuring in multiple TV movies well into his 70s.
Delon’s magnetic presence was inescapable, whether portraying morally corrupt heroes or romantic leads. His breakout role came in 1960 with “Plein Soleil,” directed by René Clément, where he played a murderer adopting his victims’ identities. This film escalated his career and led to several Italian films, most notably with Visconti in the 1961 film “Rocco and His Brothers.” Here, Delon played a self-sacrificing brother determined to assist his sibling, a role that earned the film the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Three years later, Delon starred in another Visconti classic, “Le Guepard” (“The Leopard”), which won the prestigious Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival. His filmography further includes Clément’s “Is Paris Burning,” with a screenplay contributed by writers like Gore Vidal and Francis Ford Coppola, Jacques Deray’s “La Piscine” (“The Sinners”), and Losey’s “The Assassination of Trotsky” in 1972, evidencing his versatility.
Aside from acting, Delon pursued producing movies, with 26 films under his belt by 1990. This was part of his dynamic, self-assured life. Delon’s own words to Femme magazine in 1996, “I like to be loved the way I love myself!” reflected the bold charisma he exuded both on and off screen.
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For years, Delon continued to enthrall audiences, though he also faced criticism for controversial remarks on social issues. In 2010, he appeared in “Un mari de trop” (“One Husband Too Many”) and returned to the theater in 2011 alongside his daughter, Anouchka, in “An Ordinary Day.” While he briefly presided over the Miss France jury, he stepped down in 2013 following backlash over contentious statements regarding women, LGBTQIA+ rights, and migration. Yet, despite the controversies, he was honored with the Palme d’Honneur at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, an award that sparked further debate.
FILE- In this May 19, 2019 file photo, French actor Alain Delon poses for photographers at the photo call for his honorary Palme D’Or award at the 72nd international film festival, Cannes, southern France.
| Photo Credit: ARTHUR MOLA
Born on November 8, 1935, in Sceaux, just south of Paris, Delon faced early challenges. Following his parents’ separation at age four, he was placed in a foster home and later attended a Roman Catholic boarding school. At 17, he joined the navy and was sent to Indochina. Upon returning to France in 1956, Delon worked various odd jobs, from waiter to a carrier in the Paris meat market, before discovering acting.
In his personal life, Delon had a son, Anthony, with his then-wife Nathalie Canovas during the production of Jean-Pierre Melville’s “The Samurai” in 1967. He later had two more children, Anouchka and Alain-Fabien, with Rosalie van Breemen, producing a song and video clip with her in 1987. He was also believed to be the father of Ari Boulogne, the son of German model and singer Nico, though he never publicly confirmed paternity.
In a 1995 interview with L’Express, he humorously encapsulated his varied life pursuits: “I am very good at three things: my job, foolishness and children.” Throughout his life, Delon dabbled in numerous ventures, from horse racing to launching colognes, watches, and other accessories, and even collecting art.
Although Delon announced his retirement in 1999, he returned for Bertrand Blier’s “Les Acteurs” the same year and continued to appear in various television police dramas. His final film appearance was in 2022’s “The Empty House” directed by Patrice Leconte, co-starring with Juliette Binoche.
FILE – French actor Alain Delon of France gets the attention of actress Angie Dickinson during a conversation at a cocktail party in Beverly Hills, Calif.on April 16, 1963.
| Photo Credit: Harold Matosian
Despite his unwavering good looks, Delon once told L’Humanite Hebdo in 2002 that he would leave the industry before he became “old and ugly.” However, it was during a 2019 gala honoring him at the Cannes Film Festival that Delon poignantly summed up his life: “One thing I’m sure about is that if there’s something I’m proud of, really, the only thing, it’s my career.”
Alain Delon’s passing marks the end of an era for French cinema, closing the final chapter on a career that captivated audiences worldwide for decades.
