Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon, professionally known as Alain Delon, is a French screen legend, actor, and filmmaker who became one of Europe’s most prominent actors in the early 1960s.
Delon was born in November 1935 in Sceaux, a town in Hauts-de-Seine, in the southern suburbs of Paris, France.
The superstar didn’t have a very happy childhood – after his parents got divorced, Delon’s mother sent him to live with a foster family. He was only four at that time. A few years later, he was moved to boarding school and continued living in hostels of different institutions he attended as a student.
After completing his education, Alain decided to join French Navy and was sent to serve in the Indochina. In 1956, after his naval service in Saigon, Alain returned to his home country and started looking for other jobs.
Before stepping foot in the entertainment industry, the Zorro star also worked as a clerk, waiter, and bellboy.
In the 1950s, Delon was still working different odd jobs when he became friends with the French actress Brigitte Auber and also joined her on a trip to Cannes Film Festival, where his acting career officially began.
His first successful movie was Be Beautiful But Shut Up, which appeared in 1958. In the film, Delon starred against the French Legend Jean-Paul Belmondo.
His other successful projects include Purple Noon, The Leopard, The Swimming Pool, Le Samourai, Borsalino, Rocco and His Brothers, The Black Tulip, Red Sun, The Eclipse, Big Guns, Christine, Mr. Klein, Death of a Corrupt Man, Indian Summer, The Fighter, Un flic, and The Last Adventure.
During the shooting of Christine in 1958, Alain met Romy Schneider, the famous Austrian actress, and fell in love with her. The two had a popular affair loved by many at that time.
In the early 1960s, Delon appeared in the hit film, Rocco and His Brothers and achieved global stardom. Following the success of Rocco and his Brothers, Alain collaborated with many renowned Italian directors and continued becoming more popular.
1962, Alain appeared in The Eclipse alongside Monica Vitti and won the Special Jury Prize at the Cannes Festival.
As for his love life, it was no less happening and colorful than his acting career. After his popular love affair with Schneider ended in 1963, Alain started dating French star, Nathalie.
The pair dated for a year and tied the knot in 1964. They remained married for almost five years and welcomed a son, Anthony Delon.
Their marriage ended in 1969.
Anthony was born the same year his parents got married, in 1964. He followed the footsteps of his star dad and chose acting as a career.
After his divorce from Nathalie, Alain went on to have more relationships with actresses Mireille Darc and Anne Parillaud.
In the 1980s, The Christine actor met Dutch model Rosalie van Breeman and instantly fell for her.
The couple stayed together for almost two decades and welcomed two children together – daughter, Anouchka Delon, now 33, and another son, Alain-Fabien Delon, 28.
Speaking of his youngest child, Alain-Fabien Delon, the boy inherited his handsome father’s good looks and sophistication and looks very much like him.
And just like his father, Alain-Fabien is also an actor who has appeared in several movies, including Savage Days, Fabio Montale (2001), and Ultra Pure.
The youngest Delon is the spitting image of his father – he has intense blue eyes just like Alain and even makes the same facial expressions.
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