Jean-Paul Belmondo

Jean-Paul Belmondo
Belmondo in 1960
Born
Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo

(1933-04-09)9 April 1933
Neuilly-sur-Seine, France
Died6 September 2021(2021-09-06) (aged 88)
Paris, France
Other namesBébel
EducationConservatoire of Dramatic Arts
OccupationActor
Years active1953–2011
Spouses
Élodie Constantin
​
​
(m. 1952; div. 1968)​
Natty Tardivel
​
​
(m. 2002; div. 2008)​
Partner(s)Ursula Andress (1965–1972)
Laura Antonelli (1972–1980)
Maria Carlos Sotto Mayor (1980–1987)
Barbara Gandolfi (2008–2012)
Children4, including Paul
Parents
AwardsCésar Award for Best Actor
1989 Itinéraire d'un enfant gâté
Signature

Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (French pronunciation: [ʒɑ̃pɔl ʃaʁl bɛlmɔ̃do]; 9 April 1933 – 6 September 2021) was a French actor. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward, frequently portraying police officers and criminals in action thriller films. His best known credits include Breathless (1960), That Man from Rio (1964), Pierrot le Fou (1965), Borsalino (1970), and The Professional (1981).[1] An undisputed box-office champion like Louis de Funès and Alain Delon of the same period, Belmondo attracted nearly 160 million spectators in his 50-year career. Between 1969 and 1982 he played four times in the most popular films of the year in France: The Brain (1969), Fear Over the City (1975), Animal (1977), Ace of Aces (1982), being surpassed on this point only by Louis de Funès.[2]

Belmondo frequently played heroic, brave, and virile characters, which made him popular with a wide audience both in France and abroad. Despite being heavily courted by Hollywood, Belmondo refused to appear in English-language films .[3][4] During his career, he was called the French counterpart of actors such as James Dean, Marlon Brando and Humphrey Bogart.[5] Described as an icon and national treasure of France, Belmondo was seen as an influential actor in French cinema and an important figure in shaping European cinema.[6][5][7] In 1989, Belmondo won the César Award for Best Actor for his performance in Itinéraire d'un enfant gâté. He was nominated for two BAFTA Awards throughout his career. In 2011, Belmondo received the Palme d'honneur at the Cannes Film Festival, and in 2017 he received the César d'honneur at the 42nd César Awards.[8]

  1. ^ Vincentelli, Elisabeth (8 September 2021). "Where to Stream Jean-Paul Belmondo's Best Performances". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 29 January 2023.
  2. ^ Philippe Durant, Delon, Belmondo : regards Croisés, Carnot, 2004, page 289.
  3. ^ Cite error: The named reference chicago was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference time was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  5. ^ a b Cite error: The named reference nytobit was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  6. ^ Cite error: The named reference farout was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  7. ^ Cite error: The named reference tribute was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  8. ^ Cite error: The named reference NPR was invoked but never defined (see the help page).