Jean-Paul Belmon*

Jean-Paul Belmondo

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Jean-Paul “Bébel” Belmondo, sometimes hailed as France’s answer to Humphrey Bogart or Steve McQueen, took the international film scene by storm in Jean-Luc Godard’s 1960 classic Breathless. Check out a primer of his best films here. Belmondo, the sexy and stylish star of the Nouvelle Vague (the new wave of cult French cinema), worked with leading directors from Louis Malle to Truffaut, and was widely heralded for his comedic and action star talents (he routinely performed his own stunts)– but for some reason, he never really connected with the mainstream American audience.

Jean-Paul Belmondo’s seemingly carefree chic and sensational style were no accident– he had an innate sartorial talent that was light years ahead of his peers, and remains the benchmark for classic French street style. In fact, he’s easily one of the most legendary style icons of our time– no doubt about it.

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Jean-Paul Belmondo

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Belmondo, normally a private guy, came out of the woodwork in late ’09, creating an epic scandal–

In 2001, when Belmondo suffered a stroke that initially left him unable to speak, France assumed he would quietly drift out of the public eye. In 2003, he fathered his fourth child, Stella, with his second wife. But last year, the couple divorced. Out for dinner on the Côte d’Azur, the newly single Belmondo spotted Barbara Gandolfi, 33, a Belgian former Playboy model. Soon, the actor, once protective of his privacy, was posing for the cameras with Gandolfi at exclusive soirées and sporting events and inviting magazines to photograph them together.

From the start, Gandolfi insisted in the press that she was no bimbo: she worked with her ex-boyfriend, Frederic Vanderwilt, running an empire of night-spots in Flanders, including lap-dancing venues, a swingers’ club and various business interests ranging from an energy drinks company to exclusive car-hire in Dubai…

Sir, my fedora is off to you.

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Jean-Paul Belmondo

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Jean-Paul Belmondo

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Jean-Paul Belmondo

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1962– Jean-Paul Belmondo and Jean Gabin –Image by © Claude Schwartz/CORBIS

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Jean Paul Belmondo

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Jean Paul Belmondo

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1961– Jean-Paul Belmondo –Image by © Apis/Sygma/Corbis

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1960– Jean-Paul Belmondo Dressing –Image by © Pierre Vauthey/CORBIS SYGMA

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Jean-Paul Belmondo

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Jean-Paul Belmondo, (Lt.) 1973– Image by © Alain Dejean/Sygma/Corbis (Rt.) 1972– Image by © Michel Ginfray/Apis/Sygma/Sygma/Corbis

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1965– Jean-Paul Belmondo –Image by © Apis/Sygma/Corbis

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1965– Jean-Paul Belmondo and Anna Karina. –Image by © Apis/Sygma/Corbis

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Jean-Paul Belmondo, ca. 1960

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Jean-Paul Belmondo (Right) 1960, Paris, France –Image by © Pierre Fournier/Sygma/Corbis

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Jean-Paul Belmondo with daughter

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Jean-Paul Belmondo with his daugther Patricia, May, 1960. –Image by © Letellier/Apis/Sygma/Corbis

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(Left) Jean-Paul Belmondo, 1960 –Image by © Apis/Sygma/Corbis

(Right) Jean-Paul Belmondo with his children Patricia (13), Florence (7), and Paul (5), 1967, Nice, France. –Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

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Jean-Paul Belmondo in ‘Breathless”

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Jean-Paul Belmondo

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Jean-Paul Belmondo

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Ursula Andress & Jean-Paul Belmondo– Their stormy affair sank Andress’ marriage to John Derek.

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1969, Hollywood– Ursula Andress and Jean-Paul Belmondo. –Image by © Bettmann/CORBIS

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1969, Marseille, France– Jean-Paul Belmondo and Alain Delon. –Image by © Apis/Sygma/Corbis

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Jean-Paul Belmondo –Image (Left) by © John Springer Collection/CORBIS

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1970, France– Jean-Paul Belmondo and Laura Antonelli on the set of “Les Mariés de l’an II” –Image by © Georges Pierre/Sygma/Corbis

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Belmondo scandal article (Via)

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