Alain delon biography french actor alain

Alain Delon, a French leading man known for his portrayal of Patricia Highsmith's anti-hero Tom Ripley, his work with directors including Louis Malle and Sergio Leone, and his open and unapologetic appetites, died Sunday, his family announced in a statement. He was 88.

Born Alain Fabien Maurice Marcel Delon on November 8, 1935, in Sceaux, France, Delon was discovered at the Cannes Film Festival in 1957 by a representative of powerful studio head David O. Selznick. He was about to accept a contract, head to Hollywood, and start studying English when a French director, Yves Allégret, made him a separate offer that would allow him to remain in France. Delon chose the latter.

Alain Delon's rebellious youth and disregard towards Hollywood speak volumes about his laissez-faire disposition – which was reflected, too, in how he dressed himself. There are few men in history who could wear a suit quite like him. As his career began to flourish in the 1960s, there didn’t appear a man more confident in his abilities, nor more assured of his place at the top of the cinematic food chain. This confidence can be seen in his many diverse roles – from Tom Ripley in Plein Soleil (1960) to Jef Costello in Le Samourai (1967) – as well as in the many pictures of him swanning around the Riviera. Although he could, of course, have been far bigger. Delon famously turned down Hollywood with his refusal to learn English, opting instead for a career in his homeland of France. This wasn’t the first rebellious move for him though; he was expelled from multiple schools and spent 11 months of his French military service in prison before being dishonourably discharged. This refusal to conform could be seen in the way Delon carried himself in his career, off-screen as well as with the way he wore his clothes. There was a certain nonchalance about him and you get the impression he really didn’t care about what he wore, unlike his older Hollywood counterparts Cary Grant and

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