Jean-Paul Belmondo was born in 1933 in a town near Paris. As a teenager, Jean-Paul faced a career choice. He chose between a career as a professional athlete and an actor. After long days of deliberation, he decided to enter the Higher National Conservatory of Dramatic Art. After graduating from it, he began his career in acting.

Belmondo was not a very diligent student and paid little attention to his studies. He was interested in sports, namely football and box. Before becoming an actor, Jean-Paul tried to build a career as a professional boxer. He fought 23 fights, of which he won 15. The sport was an important part of his life. Except for boxing, Belmondo was fond of football and tennis. Throughout his life, he tried to be an active participant in football life and served as vice president of PSG for several years.

Belmondo’s personal life was stormy and eventful. He was married twice and had several affairs with famous actresses. He divorced his first wife, Elodie, in 1965. In 2008, his second marriage with model and dancer Natti Tardivel also broke up.

Belmondo suffered a stroke when he was 68 years old. He was on vacation at this time. Later he was transported to Paris, where he underwent rehabilitation and recovered his health. This period was difficult for the actor. He could not speak for six months. He learned to walk and talk again. However, he coped with this difficulty.

Belmondo was one of the brightest actors in French cinema. Popularity came to him thanks to the leading role in the film “In the Last Breath” directed by Jean-Luc Godard, in 1960. The film caused a resonance among the audience, and Belmondo woke up recognizable and famous. The next year, he starred in another of Godard’s films, Woman is Woman.

The sixties were fruitful for Belmondo. He constantly received offers of leading roles, and now he could choose. During this time, he appears in films such as Cartouche (1962), Mad Pierrot (1964), The Man from Rio (1964). Today, they are classics of French cinema that are role models. Throughout his career, Jean-Paul has starred in 80 films.

Jean-Paul Belmondo had a deafening charisma. He could play any role, including romance, hero, or villain. In addition, he often performed dangerous stunts on his own and did not use the services of an understudy. He was one of the leading French comedy and action heroes.
Belmondo is also known for his roles in the films “The Professional”, “Chochara” (played with Sophia Loren), “The Magnificent”, “Les Miserables”, “Borsalino”, and others. Received the Cesar Prize for his role in the film The Minion of Fate, the Honorary Palme d’Or at the Cannes Film Festival, the Golden Lion Prize.

Besides cinema, Belmondo loved theater. Viewers could see him in several plays where he played the main role. He played most of them in the 1950s. Also, several performances with his participation were staged in the 1990s. Although in 2018 he stated that he could no longer participate in performances due to health conditions.