French film legend Alain Delon has passed away at the age of 88, leaving behind a legacy of iconic performances and a tumultuous personal life.
Known for his tough-guy persona on screen in hits like The Samurai and Borsalino, Delon was a star of the golden era of French cinema in the 1960s. Described as the most beautiful man in the movies, he appeared in over 90 films during his career, including The Leopard and Rocco and his Brothers.
In recent years, Delon had been in poor health and had become a virtual recluse. The breakdown of his family had also been making headlines in France, with his three children airing their grievances in public.
In April of this year, a judge placed Delon under “reinforced curatorship”, limiting his ability to manage his assets. In February, French police seized 72 firearms and 3,000 rounds of ammunition from his home, as he did not have a gun license.
Despite his personal struggles, Delon remained a fixture in the celebrity columns and made his last major public appearance at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019, where he received an honorary Palme d’or.
The news of Delon’s passing has left fans and the film industry mourning the loss of a true cinema legend.