Atila Altaunbay: All About Grace Jones’ Husband, Career, and Life

Atila Altaunbay was a Turkish bodyguard best known for his marriage to singer, model, and actress Grace Jones. He lived much of his life in Belgium and also had interests in singing and performing. Altaunbay and Jones married in 1996 and separated around 2004. He later lived privately in Belgium and reportedly died in October 2021.

Quick Facts

Who Was Atila Altaunbay?

Atila Altaunbay became publicly known after marrying Grace Jones in the 1990s.

Before their marriage, he reportedly worked as a professional bodyguard. He also had an interest in singing and performed at weddings.

Altaunbay did not remain a public figure after his relationship with Jones ended. He reportedly returned to Belgium and later became involved in charity work.

Atila Altaunbay’s Age and Birthday

Altaunbay’s exact date of birth is not publicly confirmed.

Several biography sources say he was born in 1976 and died at age 45 in 2021.

However, this creates problems with other reports about his age. Some sources say he was 21 when he married Jones in 1996, while another says he was 24. If he was born in 1976, he would have been about 19 or 20 at the time of their February 1996 wedding.

Because these reports conflict, his exact birth year and age should be treated as uncertain.

Where Was Atila Altaunbay Born?

Altaunbay was reportedly born in Turkey.

He came from a Muslim family and spent part of his early life in Turkey before moving to Belgium.

His exact city of birth has not been publicly confirmed.

His Parents and Siblings

Altaunbay kept his family background private.

The names of his parents are not publicly known.

Reports indicate that he had at least one older brother. He was reportedly the youngest son in his family.

There is little reliable information about any other siblings.

His Education and Training

Altaunbay reportedly moved to Belgium for his education.

He was described as a student when he met Grace Jones.

One report also claims he received training in CPR, AED use, and martial arts, skills connected with security work. The exact institutions where he studied or trained have not been identified.

Atila Worked as a Pizza Delivery Driver

Before his security career brought him into contact with famous people, Altaunbay reportedly worked as a pizza delivery driver in Belgium.

The restaurant or company he worked for has not been publicly identified.

His Career as a Bodyguard

Altaunbay’s main reported profession was working as a bodyguard.

He provided security for prominent people and was eventually connected professionally with Grace Jones.

His security work played an important part in how he became associated with the entertainer.

Atila Altaunbay Was Also Interested in Singing

Altaunbay had an interest in music and performing.

Grace Jones reportedly described him as having a good singing voice.

He took singing lessons and reportedly performed at weddings and other events.

There is no reliable information showing that he released albums or singles. It is therefore more accurate to describe singing as part of his performing work rather than a major recording career.

Was Atila Altaunbay an Actor and Model?

Some biography websites describe Altaunbay as a model and actor.

There are also claims that he performed in stage productions and appeared in a project called Mind Games.

However, detailed acting credits are not available in the supplied information. These parts of his career are less clearly documented than his work as a bodyguard.

How Did Atila Altaunbay Meet Grace Jones?

Altaunbay met Grace Jones in Belgium.

Some reports say he was studying there at the time. Other accounts connect their meeting with his security work.

Jones reportedly noticed Altaunbay and later offered him work with better pay and conditions.

They became close, and their professional connection developed into a romantic relationship.

The exact year they first met is unclear. Some sources place the meeting in the late 1980s, while others suggest it happened during the 1990s.

Grace Jones Proposed to Atila

According to the available accounts, Grace Jones was the person who proposed marriage.

The proposal reportedly happened during a trip to Rio de Janeiro for Carnival.

They had been together for only a relatively short period before deciding to marry.

Their relationship received significant attention because Jones was much older than Altaunbay.

Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones’ Wedding

Altaunbay and Jones married on February 24, 1996, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The ceremony reportedly took place in a private home and was officiated by Presbyterian minister Rubens Pires.

One account says about 50 people attended.

Jones reportedly wore a white lace bustier with fitted white pants.

After the ceremony, one report says the newly married couple went to the gym for a workout. They later reportedly spent their honeymoon in New York.

Reports of a Second Wedding Ceremony

Sources say questions later arose about the recognition of the first wedding ceremony.

The couple reportedly held another ceremony at the Jones family home in Syracuse, New York.

Grace Jones’ father reportedly officiated the second ceremony.

Some secondary sources give specific explanations for why the original ceremony had to be repeated, but these details are not strongly documented. It is safer to say that reports indicate they later held another ceremony.

His Family Reportedly Opposed the Marriage

Altaunbay’s family reportedly did not approve of his marriage to Jones.

According to accounts based on Jones’ memoir, Altaunbay came from a family where the older sons were expected to marry before the younger ones.

As the youngest son, he was reportedly expected to wait until his older brother married.

His decision to marry Jones went against those family expectations.

Reports say the disagreement caused Altaunbay to lose contact with his family.

Who Is Grace Jones?

Grace Beverly Jones was born on May 19, 1948, in Spanish Town, Jamaica.

She later moved to Syracuse, New York, and became a model, singer, songwriter, record producer, and actress.

Jones worked as a model in New York and Paris and became known for her distinctive fashion image.

Her well-known songs include “Pull Up to the Bumper,” “Slave to the Rhythm,” “Private Life,” “My Jamaican Guy,” and “Walking in the Rain.”

Her acting credits include Conan the Destroyer, the James Bond film A View to a Kill, and Vamp.

She released her memoir, I’ll Never Write My Memoirs, in 2015.

Their Age Difference

Jones and Altaunbay had a large age difference.

Jones was born in 1948. Many articles describe the couple as having an age gap of about 27 years.

However, Altaunbay’s uncertain birth year makes the exact age difference difficult to confirm.

Reports also disagree about whether Altaunbay was 21 or 24 when they married.

Problems in Their Marriage

Jones later spoke publicly about problems in their relationship.

She described Altaunbay as becoming territorial at times.

According to Jones’ account, one serious argument involved Altaunbay allegedly threatening her with a knife in a kitchen.

This is an allegation based on Jones’ account and should not be treated as an independently proven event.

The incident reportedly contributed to the end of their relationship.

When Did Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones Separate?

Altaunbay and Jones reportedly separated around 2004, approximately eight years after their 1996 wedding.

Altaunbay then largely disappeared from public life.

He reportedly returned to Belgium and maintained a much more private lifestyle.

Did Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones Divorce?

Reports say their divorce was never legally finalized.

Jones reportedly said she was unable to locate Altaunbay to complete the legal process after they separated.

Although the formal process was reportedly unfinished, Jones considered their relationship over.

Did Atila Altaunbay Have Children?

There are no publicly confirmed biological children for Atila Altaunbay.

He and Grace Jones did not have children together.

Jones has one son, Paulo Goude, but Altaunbay is not his biological father.

Who Is Paulo Goude?

Paulo Goude is Grace Jones’ only child.

He was born on November 12, 1979. His father is French graphic designer and photographer Jean-Paul Goude, who previously had a relationship with Jones.

One report says Altaunbay took on a stepfather-like role in Paulo’s life while married to Jones.

Paulo later became involved in music and modeling.

What Happened to Atila After the Separation?

After separating from Jones, Altaunbay reportedly returned to Belgium.

Reports place him in Antwerp, where he lived away from entertainment media.

Very little was publicly reported about him for years after the separation.

His Charity Work in Belgium

Later reports say Altaunbay became involved in charity and social work.

He was connected with a Belgian organization referred to in reports as Helping Hands Belgium or Helping Hand Belgium.

The organization reportedly worked with disadvantaged people and focused on problems such as poverty and inequality.

Altaunbay was described as the organization’s president or chairman.

His charity work appears to have been one of his main activities during the later years of his life.

When Did Atila Altaunbay Die?

Altaunbay reportedly died in October 2021.

His death was announced through the Facebook page of the charitable organization with which he had been involved.

Several sources say he was 45 years old, based on the reported 1976 birth year. Because reports conflict about his birth year, his exact age at death is not completely certain.

What Was Atila Altaunbay’s Cause of Death?

Atila Altaunbay’s cause of death has not been publicly confirmed.

Some online articles have discussed questions surrounding his death, but the available information does not provide reliable evidence of foul play.

His cause of death should therefore be treated as unknown.

Atila Altaunbay’s Funeral

Altaunbay’s funeral reportedly took place at the Antwerpen Mehmet Akif Mosque in Belgium.

Family members and people close to him reportedly attended.

He was reportedly buried in Belgium, the country where he had spent much of his life.

Atila Altaunbay’s Net Worth

Atila Altaunbay’s actual net worth is not reliably known.

Some online sources estimate that he was worth about $800,000. The figure has been connected with his work as a bodyguard, performer, and model.

However, no reliable financial records support the estimate.

Atila Altaunbay’s Social Media

There are no widely confirmed personal social media accounts belonging to Altaunbay in the available information.

Some information about his later charitable work reportedly appeared on the Facebook page of the organization he worked with in Belgium.

Interesting Facts

• Atila Altaunbay was a Turkish bodyguard.
• He spent much of his life in Belgium.
• His exact date and year of birth are uncertain.
• He reportedly worked as a pizza delivery driver before becoming a bodyguard.
• He was also interested in singing and reportedly performed at weddings.
• He became widely known because of his relationship with Grace Jones.
• Grace reportedly proposed to him during a trip to Rio de Janeiro.
• They married on February 24, 1996, in Rio de Janeiro.
• Reports say they later held another ceremony in Syracuse, New York.
• Altaunbay’s family reportedly opposed the marriage.
• He and Jones did not have children together.
• They separated around 2004.
• Reports say their divorce was never formally completed.
• Altaunbay later lived privately in Belgium.
• He reportedly became involved in charity work in Antwerp.
• He reportedly died in October 2021.
• His cause of death has not been publicly disclosed.
• His personal net worth is not reliably known.

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