Alain Delon, Icon of French Cinema, Dies at 88

On August 18, Alain Delon, one of the most handsome actors and a symbol of French cinema, passed away at his home in Douchy, France, surrounded by his three children and family. Earlier, in 2019, he had suffered a stroke.

Born in 1935 in Sceaux, a suburb of Paris, Alain Delon’s parents divorced when he was just four years old. As a child, Delon was frequently expelled from school due to his mischievous behavior, which led his mother and stepfather to continually find new schools for him.

At the age of 14, Alain dropped out of school and went to work in his stepfather’s butcher shop. In 1942, he joined the navy and served in Indochina. Due to his indiscipline, Alain was imprisoned by the government for a year and discharged from the military in 1956.

Delon’s career in cinema began to shine in the 1960s with leading roles in films such as Rocco and His Brothers (1960), Purple Noon (1960), The Leopard (1963), Le Samouraï (1967), and The Red Circle (1970).

Although a symbol in France and Europe, Delon did not achieve significant success in Hollywood. In 1964, he moved to the United States, signed contracts with MGM and Columbia, and made six films that did not succeed.

He was dubbed the “James Dean of France” by Gentleman’s Gazette, highlighting the comparison with the Hollywood icon.

Delon’s personal life was complex. He had a famous relationship with Romy Schneider, his co-star in the film Christine (1958). They were engaged in 1959, but in 1961, Delon had an affair with model Nico, resulting in a son he never acknowledged. Despite Schneider’s forgiveness, they broke up in 1963.

Delon married model and actress Nathalie Barthélemy (1964-1969) and had several relationships, as well as at least three children: Anthony Delon, Anouchka Delon, and Alain-Fabien Delon.

At the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, he received an Honorary Palme d’Or, which faced criticism due to past controversies, with over 25,000 signatures opposing the award.

In his later years, Delon expressed disillusionment with the film industry, though he continued to appear in films well into his 70s.