Alain Delon, the French actor known for his striking looks and intense performances, who convincingly portrayed both cold Corsican gangsters and passionate Italian lovers while working with some of Europe’s most acclaimed 20th-century directors, has passed away. He was 88 years old.
According to a statement from his family to the French news agency AFP, Delon died early Sunday at his residence in Douchy-Montcorbon.
Shortly after, President Emmanuel Macron paid tribute to him on social media, stating, “Wistful, popular, secretive, he was more than a star: a French monument.”
During the height of his career in the 1960s and ’70s, Delon was a top-tier international star, commanding high fees and frequently sought after by prominent filmmakers of the time.
His breakout role came in the gangster genre with “Rocco and His Brothers” (1960), where he played a tragic, saintly character under the direction of Luchino Visconti. Two years later, Delon starred as a charismatic stock trader in Michelangelo Antonioni’s “L’Eclisse” (“Eclipse”).
Jean-Pierre Melville, a key figure of the French New Wave, directed him in “Le Samouraï” (1967), released in the U.S. as “The Godson,” and in the heist film “Le Cercle Rouge” (1970), where Delon portrayed a sinister, mustachioed ex-convict.
In 1968, Louis Malle directed Delon in “Histoires Extraordinaires,” a film adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe stories. Delon played a character who kills a houseguest in Jacques Deray’s “La Piscine” (“The Swimming Pool”) in 1969.
or the same director, Delon appeared in “Borsalino” (1970), alongside Jean-Paul Belmondo as a Marseilles crime boss. Decades later, he featured in Jean-Luc Godard’s “Nouvelle Vague” (1990).
In a black-and-white photograph, Delon is seen with two other French cinema legends: Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Gabin.
Delon won the best actor César, France’s equivalent of the Oscar, for his role in Bertrand Blier’s drama “Notre Histoire” (1984), portraying a middle-aged alcoholic seeking happiness.
That year, he also took on a different role as the sensual gay aristocrat Baron de Charlus in “Swann in Love,” adapted from Marcel Proust’s “Remembrance of Things Past.”
His appeal varied by continent; in Japan, he was viewed as a Western star, thanks to films like “Red Sun” (1971) with Toshiro Mifune.
In Europe, he became known for his roles in brutal crime dramas, though he also found success in other genres. For instance, he starred in the 1976 French best picture winner “Mr. Klein” as a wartime German art dealer at risk of being mistaken for a Jewish man with the same name.
American critics, however, often perceived Delon merely as a handsome figure. In a review of “Le Samouraï,” Vincent Canby described his character as a “beautiful misfit” and commented that Delon was “doing what he does best (looking impassive and slightly tarnished).”
Delon’s good looks were a significant part of his enduring appeal. Manohla Dargis noted in April that Delon’s beauty had long evoked “paroxysms of rapture,” describing his appearance as both sensual and provocative.
She remarked that his looks, often seen as threatening tidy gender norms, elicited strong reactions from audiences.
Despite his famous appearance, Delon expressed in 1965 to the British magazine Film and Filming that he found intimate scenes “a bore,” preferring action scenes. However, in 1970, he told a reporter from The Times that he preferred to make love privately.
Born Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon on November 8, 1935, in Sceaux, France, a suburb of Paris, he experienced a troubled youth and was expelled from several schools. His time in the French Navy was marked by disciplinary issues and a dishonorable discharge in 1956, following a stint in prison.
In 1957, Delon’s life took a dramatic turn when he accompanied actress Brigitte Auber to the Cannes Film Festival and was discovered by an agent for American producer David O. Selznick.
Though offered a Hollywood contract, Delon chose to stay in France after receiving an offer from director Yves Allégret.
Delon’s first credited role was in Allégret’s “When the Woman Meddles” (1957), but his performance in René Clément’s 1960 film “Plein Soleil” (“Purple Noon”) brought him significant attention.
Playing Tom Ripley, Delon’s striking screen presence, including his blue eyes and angelic yet shifting demeanor, audiences and drew comparisons to James Dean.
Although he rejected Selznick’s offer, Delon aspired to Hollywood stardom. He considered America “the top, the last step — it’s a kind of consecration,” but this dream remained unfulfilled.
His British film debut, “The Yellow Rolls-Royce” (1964), did well, but his roles in several American films, including “Once a Thief” (1965) and “Texas Across the River” (1966), did not achieve major success.
For American viewers, Delon’s most notable film was probably “Il Gattopardo” (“The Leopard”) from 1963, directed by Visconti and featuring Burt Lancaster.
Delon’s final film appearance was in “The Concorde … Airport ’79” (1979), where he played a debonair co-pilot.
His later career included French television roles, and he retired from film several times before making a comeback in 2008 with “Astérix aux Jeux Olympiques.”
His last feature film was the 2012 Russian-language comedy drama “S Novym Godom, Mamy!” (“Happy New Year, Mommies!”), where he played himself.
In 2021, “La Piscine” was restored and re-released, running for an extended period due to its popularity. Critics praised the film’s “unapologetic decadence” and Delon’s “sexy sleekness.”
Known for his egotism and controversial statements, Delon was awarded the Légion d’Honneur in 1991 and enjoyed success as a businessman.
He was married once, to Nathalie Barthélémy, from 1964 to 1969, but maintained several notable relationships, including with Romy Schneider, Mireille Darc, and Rosalie van Breemen.
He is survived by a son, Anthony, from his marriage, and two children, Alain-Fabien and Anouchka, from his relationship with van Breemen.
Delon also had a son, Christian Aaron Päffgen, known as Ari Boulogne, from a brief relationship with pop star Nico; Boulogne passed away in 2023.
In the 2000s, Delon’s screen work largely appeared on French television. His last film roles included portrayals of himself and a return to the screen for a retrospective of his classic works, reflecting his complex legacy and continued influence in cinema.
