The legendary Alain Delon, the last great male icon of French cinema, passed away on Sunday at the age of 88after a long career marred by illness and family disagreements in the twilight of his life.
A leading man for decades, under the orders of masters such as Luchino Visconti and Jean-Paul Godard, Delon practically disappeared from the big screen from the late 1990s onwards. but not from the tabloids or television, with controversial statements and domestic problems.
French actor Alain Delon and an unidentified actress in a still from the film ‘Purple Noon,’ based on the Patricia Highsmith novel ‘The Talented Mr. Ripley’ and directed by Rene Clement, 1960. (Photo by Fotos International/Getty Images) | Foto: Getty Images
Anthony, Anouchka and Alain-Fabien Delon, his three children, who have been feuding for years, will be in charge of organising the funeral of the legend of the seventh art.
Amidst rumours about his final wishes, a controversy has arisen over what the French actor’s wishes were before he died. In 2018, Alain Delon had expressed his wish that his dog, Loubo, accompany him on his deathbed.
“He’s my dog at the end of his life,” Delon said. “I love him like a son. I’ve had 50 dogs in my life, but I have a special relationship with this one. He misses me when I’m not there.”
The animal’s fate was in the hands of the family after the actor’s death | Photo: Instagram/anouchkadelon
“If I die before him, I will ask the vet to take us together,” she continued. “I will put him to sleep in my arms. I prefer to do that than to know that he will let himself die in my grave in so much pain.”
Despite this wish, Loubo, the Belgian Malinois dog of the late actor, “will not be euthanized” to accompany the artist to the grave, as he had wished, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation announced on Tuesday, citing the actor’s family.
“Don’t worry about Loubo! Many of you have sent us messages about the future of Loubo, Alain Delon’s dog”published on the X platform the foundation chaired by Brigitte Bardot, the French actress who became an ardent defender of animals years ago.
Delon was a lover of his dogs, whom he protected and cared for at his residence | Photo: X/@venetianblonde
