Belmodo was the son of “pied-noir” sculptor Paul Belmondo, and was born and grew up in the wealthy Paris suburb of Neuilly-sur-Seine. He went to several private schools and pursued acting after contracting tuberculosis.

Despite going onto star in over 80 films – many of which went on to become international blockbusters – Belmodo was told he wouldn’t make it in the industry, with one of his teachers at the Paris Conservatory telling saying: “Mr Belmondo will never succeed with his hooligan’s face.”

He preferred to work on French films, and was usually cast in gangsters and low-lifes roles. Belmodo expanded his collaboration with Breathless director Godard, appearing in 1961’s A Woman Is A Woman.

He also enjoyed an international career which included starring roles in Peter Brook’s adaptation of Moderato Cantabile and Two Women, in which he starred alongside another icon of the time, Sophia Loren.

Despite such prestigious credentials, Belmodo was criticised for moving from arthouse cinema to more commercial projects later in his career.

“When an actor is successful, people turn their back on him and say that he has taken the easy way out, that he doesn’t want to make an effort or take any risks,” he once said. “But if it was so easy to fill cinemas, then the film world would be in much better health than it is. I don’t think I would have stayed in the limelight for so long if I was doing any old rubbish. People aren’t that stupid.”

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