French Actor Alain Delon's Controversial Past Resurfaces Following Death
"If a slap is macho, then I am macho," Alain Delon said years before his death.
Published Aug. 18 2024, 11:50 a.m. ET
On August 18, 2024, it was announced that French actor Alain Delon, best known for his movies Purple Noon and The Leopard, passed away at the age of 88.
The sad news was shared by his children.
"Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony, as well as [his dog] Loubo, are deeply saddened to announce the passing of their father. He passed away peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family,” read the statement.
French President Emmanuel Macron also paid tribute to the former heartthrob, writing, "Melancholy, popular, secretive, he was more than a star: he was a French monument."
However, Alain had a controversial past, which has resurfaced following his death.
Alain Delon with his wife Nathalie and their son Anthony in 1965.
In 1968, Alain Delon was investigated for the murder of his bodyguard, Stevan Marković.
According to reports, following the violent death of Alain's bodyguard Stevan Marković, the actor and French gangster François Marcantoni were investigated.
At the time, Marković had allegedly written a letter to his brother, which stated, "If I get killed, it's 100% the fault of Alain Delon and his godfather Francois Marcantoni."
It was also revealed that NSFW photos of then-president Georges Pompidou were found in Stevan's car at the time of his death. Marcantoni was charged with the murder but was ultimately released due to lack of evidence and the crime remains unsolved.
Alain Delon has also been accused of homophobia and misogyny.
In 2019, Alain was honored at the Cannes Film Festival with an honorary Palme d'Or. However, that decision was met with backlash due to his past controversial statements regarding women and the LGBTQ community.
A petition was even launched to stop the award, with the founder tweeting that Alain "has publicly admitted to slapping women and he has claimed that being gay is against nature."
Previously, Alain stated, "If a slap is macho, then I am macho," per RFI. He has also been accused of domestic violence by two of his sons, who claimed their father broke eight of their mother's ribs and her nose twice.
Alain denied those allegations before his death, telling The Telegraph in 2013, "These are insanities. My son is totally lost, and only gives sensational interviews for money" before adding he, "slapped the mother once."
French police seized 72 firearms from Alain Delon's home in April 2024.
Amid his declining health (the actor suffered a stroke in 2019) and his children evicting Alain's former housekeeper Hiromi Rollin, whom they accused of abusing their father, his home was raided by French police in April 2024.
The police seized 72 firearms and 3,000 rounds of ammunition. He was not legally authorized to own a firearm. He died six months later.
