Philippe Leroy (actor)

Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu (born 15 October 1930) is a French actor.

Philippe Leroy-Beaulieu was born in Paris on 15 October 1930 to a prominent family.

His ancestors included economist Pierre Paul Leroy-Beaulieu, historian Henri Jean Baptiste Anatole Leroy-Beaulieu, and architect Jean-François Leroy.

He worked on an ocean liner as a teenager, and spent a year abroad in New York City.

In 1953, he enlisted in the French Foreign Legion and served as a paratrooper in the 2nd Foreign Parachute Regiment in the French Indochina War.

He later became a reservist, and served in the Algerian War as a 2nd Lieutenant.

He was awarded two decorations of the Chevalier of the Légion d'honneur, a Croix de guerre des théâtres d'opérations extérieures, and the Cross for Military Valour for his service.

He retired as a captain.

He has appeared in over 150 films since 1960, and has worked extensively in Italian cinema, as well as in his native country.

He was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor for his debut performance in Jacques Becker’s The Hole (1960), and for a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie for playing the title role in the Italian miniseries The Life of Leonardo da Vinci (1971).

He was previously a decorated paratrooper in the French Foreign Legion, where he served in the First Indochina War and the Algerian War.

Leroy made his film debut in 1960 as a character based on José Giovanni in Jacques Becker’s prison drama The Hole.

Becker cast all non-professional actors as his leads to lend a sense of authenticity, Leroy among them.

His performance won international recognition, and he was nominated for a BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor.

In 1962 he went to Italy and he started working in many Italian films and TV fictions, such as Renato Castellani's The Life of Leonardo da Vinci.

He also played the role of Yanez de Gomera, Sandokan's partner, in 1976 TV series Sandokan.

During his career, he has worked with directors like Jean-Luc Godard, Jacques Deray, Dario Argento, Luc Besson, Alberto Lattuada, Luigi Magni and many more.

Leroy married Italian journalist Silvia Tortora in 1990.

They were married until her death on 10 January 2022.

They had two children; Philippe and Michelle.

He also has another child, actress Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, from a previous marriage.

Leroy has continued parachuting as a hobby.

He is a member of the parachuting division of the SS Lazio sports club, as well as a supporter of the Lazio's football team.

In 2010 during the Rome Parashow, he celebrated his 80th birthday with a jump.

In April 2011 (at the age of 81) he spent 12 days in Afghanistan with Italian paratroopers as a special correspondent.