French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo died today at the age of 88.
French actor Jean-Paul Belmondo died today at the age of 88. An icon, affectionately nicknamed Bebel in his native land, Belmondo is one of the most beloved and charismatic actors of French cinema. The French New Wave propelled him to fame and several more iconic roles with some of the greatest film directors, becoming France’s biggest box-office star. Born on April 9, 1933, of artist parents, the renowned sculptor Paul Belmondo and painter Madeleine Rainaud-Richard, Jean-Paul Belmondo trained as a stage actor in the prestigious Conservatoire national supérieur d’art dramatique. In his 60-year career, Belmondo starred in over 80 films, starting with the French New Wave, he turned in the 1970s to comedy and action films and became known for his impressive movie stunts. With such an impressive filmography, it is difficult to pick just five movies. But if you were only to watch five films he starred in, these are the ones I would pick to start with. Jean-Paul Belmondo is most well-known internationally for his first major leading role. Directed by Jean-Luc Godard, À Bout de Souffle saw Jean-Paul Belmondo play Michel Poiccard, a young delinquent hiding from the police in Paris where he meets the beautiful American Patricia, played by Jean Seberg, pacing the Champs-Elysées to sell copies of the New York Herald Tribune. Godard’s iconic film, that was revolutionary in its style, propelled Belmondo to fame, becoming internationally known in the process.
