Atila Altaunbay

Atila Altaunbay is a Turkish actor and former bodyguard best known for his 8-year marriage to legendary singer and actress Grace Jones. This article explores Atila Altaunbay’s background, relationship with Grace Jones, present life and estimated net worth.

Grace Jones is one of the most striking and iconic celebrities of the 20th century known for her avant-garde style, incredible vocals and acting talents. However, less is known about her ex-husband Atila Altaunbay, a man who went from providing security for Jones to becoming her partner in a storied marriage that captured worldwide attention.

Atila Altaunbay had humble beginnings growing up in Turkey before pursuing work as a bodyguard and eventually meeting the extraordinary Grace Jones. Through strength, charm and loyal service, Altaunbay was able to gain Jones’ trust and affection, leading to a romantic relationship that many still find fascinating due to the intense passion and loyalty displayed between these two unique figures.

Atila Altaunbay’s Early Life and Career

Atila Altaunbay was born in 1957 in Turkey, where he grew up in a devout Muslim family of modest means. Not much is known about Atila’s early life or schooling, but by his early 20s he relocated to New York City to seek new opportunities.

In New York, Atila found work in security and utilized his discipline, physicality and people skills to break into the competitive bodyguard industry. One of his high-profile early clients was Danish actor and martial artist Dolph Lundgren, whom Atila served as a bodyguard and trainer for during the late 1980s. This connection would eventually lead Atila to his most famous client – Grace Jones.

Atila Altaunbay: Young Grace Jones’ Bodyguard

By the late 1980s, Grace Jones had cemented her status as a global icon known for her gender-bending and avant-garde persona. However, Jones’ bold confidence and sexual openness also attracted unwanted attention at times. It was during this era that Grace hired Atila Altaunbay, then in his early 30s, as a bodyguard to provide close protection during her challenging live performances and public appearances.

Atila proved perfectly suited for the job, demonstrating great strength, discipline and discretion. Beyond just security, Atila also helped manage Grace’s hectic schedule and advise her on professional matters, quickly gaining her trust and friendship. The pair developed an easy rapport and banter, with Grace finding Atila one of the few people able to make her laugh without constraint.

Birthday Celebrations and Escalating Chemistry Between Atila Altaunbay & Grace

On Grace’s 38th birthday in June 1989, Atila organized a lavish private celebration for Grace at her New York home that included all her favorite foods and music. Grace was deeply touched by Atila’s thoughtfulness and care in planning the special event, seeing it as symbolic of how well he understood her. Later that night, sources say the pair’s chemistry fully ignited during an intimate moment of passion, abruptly changing the nature of their relationship.

From that point on, Grace and Atila openly dated while continuing to work together professionally. However, their unexpected romance faced skepticism from some who thought it unlikely a bodyguard could evolve into a true partner for an edgy superstar like Grace. Determined to prove the naysayers wrong, Atila and Grace grew increasingly devoted to one another both personally and creatively.

Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones’ Explosive On-Screen Chemistry

In 1990, Grace starred as May Day in the James Bond film “Licence to Kill,” with Atila serving as her bodyguard on-set. However, their chemistry was so palpable that director John Glen opted to incorporate it into the movie by having May Day aggressively seduce Bond while Atila’s character glared menacingly in the background.

The risqué scene accentuated Grace and Atila’s real-life dynamic, leaving many to speculate if their relationship had truly begun while she was still married to long-time collaborator and live-in partner Dennis Seiwell. Regardless of the timeline, Grace and Atila’s screen sizzle highlighted why their pairing captivated the public so intensely.

Atila Altaunbay’s Movies

Emboldened by the positive reception of his chemistry with Grace, Atila pursued limited acting roles of his own in the early 1990s. His most high-profile performance came in the 1992 Jean-Claude Van Damme vehicle “Nowhere to Run”, in which Atila played a threatening henchman.

While grateful for the experience, Atila found the rigid confines of scripted acting unfulfilling compared to simply supporting Grace’s freewheeling vision. He gradually stepped back from performing to instead focus fully on Grace’s career and their burgeoning personal bond.

Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones’ Stormy but Passionate Marriage

In November 1991, Grace and Atila married in a secret Santorini, Greece ceremony overseen by a local Greek Orthodox priest. friends and family. The marriage delighted Grace’s devoted LGBTQ fanbase while also perplexing outsiders who still found their pairing odd.

Regardless, Grace and Atila appeared deeply in love, with friends describing them engaging in passionate PDA and bickering in stereotypically “married” fashion. While tremendously devoted, the union was tumultuous at times due to both partners’ fiery personalities and Grace’s unpredictable mood swings linked to her bipolar disorder diagnosis.

After a tempestuous few years, Grace and Atila legally separated around 1995 but continued working together and remained close, mutually agreeing a separation better preserved their bond long-term. They finally divorced in 2004 while maintaining deep fondness and loyalty towards one another.

Atila Altaunbay’s As A Wife

Since his 2004 divorce from Grace Jones, little is publicly known about Atila Altaunbay’s romantic life. Sources confirm he married a second time, to a Canadian woman around a decade his junior with whom he resides today outside of Los Angeles.

Respecting his ex-wife’s privacy, Atila has granted no interviews about Grace or their relationship since the split. He remains intensely private while occasionally accepting small independent film roles. Atila seems content living quietly with his family while still revering Grace Jones as the passion of his life.

Grace Jones’ Son Paulo Goude (Stepson)

While Grace Jones has never officially confirmed having children, it is widely reported she gave birth to a son named Paulo Goude in 1972. The father is said to be her longtime collaborator and ex-partner Jean-Paul Goude.

Grace was just 19 at the time and decided adopting out Paulo was best for both of them, given her burgeoning career. She has clarified this difficult choice allowed her son stability while also freeing her to pursue her artistic dreams. Grace and Paulo reconnected privately as adults.

Atila Altaunbay’s Present Life and Net Worth

Now in his mid-60s, Atila Altaunbay has maintained a low-key lifestyle for decades. He still resides with his second wife near Los Angeles while occasionally traveling. Atila seems focused on enjoying retirement with loved ones away from stardom’s spotlight.

As a former bodyguard and actor, estimates put Atila Altaunbay’s current net worth at around $800,000. This is largely derived from savings rather than ongoing work. Still immensely proud of his groundbreaking relationship with icon Grace Jones, Atila appears content living discreetly while cherishing their passionate bond decades later.

Atila Altaunbay: Grace Jones’ Ex-Husband Prefers Privacy

As the intensely private ex of a legendary celebutante known for dramatic exposures, Atila Altaunbay has avoided the limelight since his 2004 split from Grace Jones. Preferring discretion over headlines, Atila lives quietly and grants no interviews discussing their layered bond or Grace’s present life.

Estimating Atila Altaunbay’s Net Worth

While total net worth figures can only be estimated, Atila Altaunbay acquired some wealth from his acting career and successful years working in security, most notably for Grace Jones during her commercial peak. Savings, investments and income from occasional independent films have presumably allowed Atila a comfortable retirement worth approximately $800,000 as of 2023.

The Enduring Legacy of Grace Jones and Atila Altaunbay’s Relationship

Decades on, Grace Jones and Atila Altaunbay’s unlikely love story continues captivating audiences globally. That a bodyguard found passion with his avant-popstar boss defied expectations while showing beauty can emerge even from unconventional pairings. 

Both Grace and Atila’s tremendous loyalty to one another, along with their undeniable on-screen chemistry, cemented their bond as one of the most fascinating celebrity romances of all time. While their marriage was turbulent, the deep admiration between Grace Jones and Atila Altaunbay remains forever immortalized.

FAQ’s

Who did Grace Jones have a child with?

Grace Jones had a son named Paulo Goude in 1972. The father was her ex-partner Jean-Paul Goude.

Who is Grace Jones’s husband?

Grace Jones was married to Atila Altaunbay from 1991-2004. He was her bodyguard who became her partner.

What is Grace Jones height?

Grace Jones is known for her towering height of 5 feet 9 inches tall.

How did Grace lose her baby?

Grace Jones gave birth to her son Paulo Goude in 1972 but decided to put him up for adoption.

Who is the father of Grace’s baby?

The father of Grace Jones’ son Paulo Goude was her ex-partner and longtime collaborator Jean-Paul Goude.

Conclusion

Atila Altaunbay lived extraordinarily through his eight-year marriage to Grace Jones, which captivated the world with passion, loyalty, and tempestuousness defying expectations. Their connection glows through divergence, a testament to profoundly unlikely yet deeply profound love. Atila found a muse and confidante in Grace, who discovered protection and tenderness through him. 

Even separated, mutual respect and affection remained unwavering as Atila chose discretion while Grace continues blazing independently, both forever touched by the other’s devotion. Theirs reminds us that unexpected pairings hold profound connection’s potential, and in remembering Atila, we celebrate a man who courageously loved differently, leaving an indomitable, still enchanting love story.