He’s one of France’s most famous actors, but currently, he’s under public scrutiny as he’s about to receive an honorary prize from the Cannes Films Festival committee. 83-year-old Alain Delon stands by his fifty years long career, which includes Luke Eno Visconti’s “The Leopard,” which won the top prize at Cannes in 1963.
But over the years, Delon has been very vocal and oftentimes blatantly offensive and bigoted when it comes to topics like same-sex marriage, his admission to slapping women in the face, or his friendship with right-wing politician Jean-Marie LePen.
For the Cannes Film Festival head honcho, Thierry Frémaux, that backlash is nothing more but another political correctness struggle by woke elements trying to tarnish the trajectory of a very successful French performer. So, what’s the deal with Alain Delon? Come with us as we explore the controversies that have marked the actor across nearly half a century.
Alain Delon Controversy Explained
French actor Alain Delon, whose rise to stardom in notable international, award-winning films hasn’t been short of controversy or scrutiny. Alain Delon’s films include “Rocco and His Brothers”, “The Leopard” and “Lost Command”. While the bulk of his work is for French cinema, he’s worked extensively with American studio MGM. He’s worked with directors Jean-Pierre Melville and Jean-Luc Goddard.
Sadly, Alain’s days of acting were put on hiatus in 2019 when he suffered a stroke. Since then, he’s been trying to pull himself together to do a few interviews. And while we see him a little better, it is up for grabs if he’s to return to the screen in any other capacity.
After his stroke, he was put in hospital in Paris and then transferred to a rehabilitation center in Switzerland to work on his health. Alain has three children, Anthony, Anouchka, and Alain Fabien, who have stood by his side during his recovery.
Before that stroke, he’s been in the headlines for quite a few controversies. He’s made numerous remarks that don’t align with today’s political climate.
Take, for example, his remarks on saying that he’s hit women in the past, that he’s not sorry about it, and how he despises same-sex couples and their capacity to adopt children. Moreover, Alain, in the complete exercise of his political rights, has aligned himself with the former Front National, a right-wing party helmed at its time by Jean-Marie LePen and then by Marine LePen.
Further disparaging comments Alain has made are those questioning the legal status of homosexuality, which he deems a “crime against nature”.
In the wake of the public’s outcry on behalf of the Cannes Film Festival’s decision to award him with an honorary Palm D’Or, the festival hasn’t changed their minds. The same can be said by other controversial figures who have been recognized by the Cannes Organization in the past.
Regardless of the fact that the actor holds “problematic” —in the eyes of some— beliefs, it is unquestionable that Delon’s acting career is remarkable and contributed to movies. Also, Alain Delon has never been charged with any legal accusation, nor has he seen himself in front of a court or judge for his questionable behavior.
For Cannes Film Festival, It Is A Non-Issue
During a press conference, Thierry Frémaux, director of the Cannes Films Festival, expressed that it is difficult today to reward or honor someone, because, straight away, the political correctness police start questioning the honored person’s trajectory, send criticism to the director, and provoke them. So, for him, regardless of his behavior, Alain Delon is being honored not for what he thinks politically but for his talent on screen.
The Cannes Organization, they are in the position of criticizing and condemning certain behaviors, but they can’t go as far as to condemn freedom of expression. And frankly, this is a freedom of expression issue in which some elements of the entertainment world consider themselves to be political commissars who think that they can police, censor, and regulate whatever anyone says at any given moment.
