“Go f*ck yourself!”: Alain Delon's outburst on the Croisette remained secret

Was Alain Delon really homophobic ? The story of one of his outbursts in a recent biography sows doubt.

© Bestimage Alain Delon, a legend of French cinema

IN BRIEF

• In July 2013, Alain Delon expressed controversial opinions on gay marriage and adoption in Le Figaro, provoking strong reactions.
• An anecdote related in the book 'Les derniers mystères Delon' describes an incident with Philippe Erlanger on the Croisette, illustrating behaviors deemed homophobic.
• Bernard Violet's biography raises questions about Alain Delon's homophobia, while mentioning contradictory testimonies about his relationships with men.

“I'm not against gay marriage, I don't care at all, but I am against adopting children. I'll be told again that I have to adapt and live with the times… Well, I'm having a hard time with this era that trivializes what is unnatural. Even if it means being seen as an old fool, it shocks me. !”

Alain's remarks Delon in Le Figaro in July 2013had caused a strong reaction from public opinion. Questioned by Anne-Sophie Lapix in C &agrave you on France 5 two months later, the actor had answered bluntly: “I have nothing against gays getting together, but, for me, it's against nature. We're here to love a woman, to court a woman, not to flirt with a guy or be flirted with by a guy”.

Alain Delon: this outburst on the Croisette that says a lot

An anecdote told by Bernard Violet in the pages of the book Les derniers mystères Delon, published last November by Robert Laffont, supported the thesis of homophobia of the star of The Leopard. Based on the notes of a friend of the actor, the biographer reports a crazy trip to the Croisette during the Cannes Film Festival.

As he prepares to pass through the door of the Whisky à Gogo, a famous local nightclub, the actor passes by a certain Philippe Erlanger “whom evil tongues have long since christened 'Ille-et-Vilaine' […] because he liked boys“ but also because of his unsightly physique. “Go fuck yourself çthat will give you some color”, he says to her dryly. The two men would have crossed paths again later.

Alain Delon: was he really homophobic ?

Still in the same book, we learn that the famous “Samourai” of French cinema, described as “young insolent” by his biographer, was reportedly seen a few days later by “other witnesses” in the company of Philippe Erlanger “sharing a drink in the cozy setting of the Ascot”.

Mentioned by Bernard Violet, a close friend of Alain Delon is said to have suspected the actor of being homophobic “but without providing a clear answer”. Other testimonies, relayed in this recent biography, would suggest that the young man “of striking beauty […] would not have been insensitive to the advances of men, often his elders”…