French actor Alain Delon has died at the age of 88 after a long illness, his family announced.

The cult star became famous through his roles in classic films such as “Purple Sullivan” (1960), “The Leopard” (1963) and “The Cold Samurai” (1967).

A family statement said: “It is with deep sadness that Alain Fabien, Anouchka, Anthony and (his dog) Loubo announce the death of their father.

“He died peacefully in his home in Douchy, surrounded by his three children and his family.”

Delon died “very early in the middle of the night,” the statement said.

Delon’s health had been deteriorating since suffering a stroke in 2019, and he rarely left his estate in Douchy in France’s Val de Loire. His last significant public appearance was at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2019, where he received an honorary Palme d’Or.

Delon was known for his striking blue eyes and was often called the “French Frank Sinatra” because of his attractive facial features, a comparison he disliked.

His influence reached beyond France: well-known directors such as Martin Scorsese, Quentin Tarantino and Hong Kong’s John Woo acknowledged the impact of his portrayal of the silent murderer in Jean-Pierre Melville’s “The Cruel Knight”.

While Delon achieved great fame in France and Japan, his success in Hollywood was more limited, although he appeared in the 1973 film Scorpio alongside American cinema greats such as Burt Lancaster.

Off screen, Delon was known for his controversial views, including expressing regret over the abolition of the death penalty and criticizing same-sex marriage, which was legalized in France in 2013.