The famous French filmmaker Alain Delon dies at the age of 88.
“He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his children and loved ones,” a statement to AFP said. Delon had been struggling with health problems recently.
Born in Sceaux, a suburb south of Paris, Delon’s youth was marked by the separation of his parents and frequent expulsions from school. He later served in the French Navy in Indochina and worked odd jobs in Paris.
He made his film debut in 1957 in the thriller “Quand la femme s’en mêle,” in which he played a killer. This marked the beginning of his career as an anti-hero and eventually led to his recognition as an important figure in the European cinema landscape of the 1960s. Collaborations with directors such as René Clément, Luchino Visconti and Jean-Pierre Melville cemented his status.
In 1968, a scandal involving Delon, French high society and illegal activities, the Markovic affair, broke out. Delon was questioned but never charged.
His engagements in English-language productions brought him roles in films such as “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” (1964), “Texas Across the River” (1966) and “Red Sun” (1971). Unfortunately, he was unable to repeat his success in the European cinema landscape in these projects.
Delon won a César Award in 1985 for his role as an alcoholic in Bertrand Blier’s Our Story and received a Golden Globe nomination for his portrayal of Tancredi in The Leopard.
However, his fame gradually faded in later years. In the 21st century, he returned to television screens by playing detective roles in two miniseries – “Fabio Montale” (2002) and “Frank Riva” (2003-04).
In 2005, Delon was awarded the title of Officer in the French Legion of Honor for his influence on world cinema.
His marriage to actress and model Nathalie Delon from 1964 to 1969 produced one child, Anthony.
Delon also has three other children: a son, Christian Boulogne, with singer and actress Nico; and daughters Anouchka Delon and Alain-Fabien Delon with Dutch actress Rosalie van Breemen.
Delon’s filmography spans various genres and languages, including his appearances in English-language films such as “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” and “Red Sun”, which gave him the opportunity to showcase his talent beyond the European cinema landscape.
Although he has children with French actress Nathalie Delon and Nico, a singer and actress, Delon also has a daughter, Alain-Fabien Delon, with Dutch actress Rosalie van Breemen, extending his family ties across national borders and entertainment industries.
