Atila Altaunbay: Let’s Have A Direct Look At His Life

If you are into entertainment, then you must know Grace Jones. She is a Jamaican singer, actress, and model often known for her “quirky” style. She rose into prominence in the 1980s and 90s. However, there is one name associated with this personality that often piques curiosity in the minds of the audience. Atila Altaunbay, the much talked of name with Grace Jones, often surfaced in the news at that time. 

But who is Atila Altaunbay? How is he related to Grace Jones? Let’s find out as we go along this article. 

Who Is Atila Altaunbay?

Atila Altaunbay is mostly known for being the bodyguard of Grace Jones. However, that is not all about him. You see, Atila has been more than just a bodyguard to Jones- he was her love interest. They had a married life for almost as long as a decade. 

However, before we talk more about their marriage, let’s talk a bit more about Atila. We shall now have a look over other aspects of his life, including his childhood, education, and other necessary details. 

Some Facts About Atila
Full Name	Atila Altaunbay
Year of Birth	1976
Place of Birth	Turkey
Gender	Male
Nationality	Turkish
Ethnicity	Arab
Age	45 (died 2021)
Height	5 feet 7 inches (170 cm)
Weight	68 kg (150 lbs)

The Childhood Of Atila 

Atila Altaunbay was born to a Muslim family in 1976. Being born in Turkey, he spent most of his childhood over there. An energetic lad since childhood, Atila was always fond of sports and entertainment. He soon realised that he needed to move out in order to pursue his dreams, and he acted accordingly. As a result. he moved to Belgium to pursue his education. 

Educational Journey

Atila had a relatively low profile, and unfortunately he decided to keep his educational details private. We do respect his privacy- it’s completely his choice to keep things private. However, it is also known that Atila had mastered certain skills while he was pursuing his studies. The skills included CPR, AED as well as Martial Arts, which are necessary, life saving skills. 

It was due to these skills along with his educational qualifications that made Atila a competent choice as a bodyguard. Let’s know a bit more about his professional journey. 

Advent As A Professional Bodyguard

You might be thinking that Atila Altaunbay started his professional career as a bodyguard. But that’s not true, Atila has worked many jobs before he set his foot into this profession. He has worked as a pizza delivery boy for a few months. Later he tried his luck in modelling, but with little success. 

After running errands, Atila finally came across the job of a bodyguard in a club. He readily took up the job, as it was decently paid- at least enough for him to run his expenses. As fate would have it, it was due to Atila working as a bodyguard that he came across Grace Jones. We shall now learn more about them. 

How Did Atila And Grace Meet?

As mentioned before, Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones had met at the same club where the former worked as a bodyguard. Grace was immensely attracted towards Atila’s charm- and this resulted in her appointing Atila as her personal bodyguard. 

Although things started off in a purely professional manner, Grace found herself immensely attracted to Atila. This led to a chain of events which subsequently took place. Let’s have a detailed look. 

Their Marriage

The relationship between Atila and Grace became more profound, more intense. Cut short to a few months later, Atila accompanied her on a trip to Rio De Janeiro. This was where the Jamaican singer confessed her feelings to her bodyguard. Unsurprisingly, Atila also admitted that he had a liking towards her.

Despite the immense age gap that this duo had, they made it seem nothing more than mere numbers. They tied the knot in a private ceremony in February 1996 at Rio De Janeiro itself. However, trouble was onboard- and it soon surfaced up. 

Additional Information
Marital Status	Separated
Spouse (s)	Grace Jones (1996-2004)
Biological children (if any)	No
Non-biological Children (if any)	Paulo Goude (Stepson)
Profession	Bodyguard, Model
Net Worth (estimated)	$800,000
Special Feats	Actor (Mind Games, 2009)

The Complications

The marriage of Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones was perceived in a negative light by netizens. Firstly it was because of the huge age gap that the duo had- which was a striking 27 years. Secondly, the private marriage ceremony sparked conflicts within both of their families. Atila’s family was skeptical of their marriage, and so was the Jamaican star’s family. 

And hence, they got married a second time- this time with a proper, ceremonial style. This marriage took place in Syracuse, New York. This further solidified their bond. 

Parenting

You see, Atila and Grace did not have any children of their own. However, Grace has a son from her previous relationship with Jean-Paul Goude, the French graphic designer. Their son, Paulo Goude, stayed with his mother.

Atila had been a great stepdad to Paulo, catering to his requirements. He treated him like his own child, which Paulo himself admitted in the media upon Atila’s death. Atila has been a great father figure for him, who was nothing less than an inspiration. 

However, things were about to get tumultuous. Let’s have a glance. 

The Rift Between The Two

Things were going pretty smoothly- at least it appeared so from outside. However, fans were awestruck when Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones announced their separation publicly. But the question is, why did the duo decide to part ways? Let’s find out.

As per the reports, Atila and Grace had frequent conflicts which kept on growing as time passed. The reason, as it surfaced out, was due to the Jamaican Superstar’s constant involvement with other men ever after being married to Atila. 

Things went so downhill that Atila once pointed a knife towards his wife in a fit of rage. And that proved to be the breaking point of the relationship- eventually leading to their separation in 2004. Although they never called an end to their marriage, they led separate lives following the legal separation.  

How Are Things Now?

Ever since the separation happened, Atila Altaunbay had taken a step down from the limelight, leading a private life. He was known to be active as a social worker, working for the needy and deprived in society. Not only that, Atila was also a part of the organisation “Helping Hands Belgium.” This showcases his stature as a good human being. 

Atila is also known for his role in Cindy Kemp’s short film “Mind Games.” Apart from that, he had always maintained a low profile. However, things took a sharp turn. 2021 marks the tragic and saddening demise of the Turkish bodyguard. Yes, Atila passed away in February 2021, leaving his admirers in shock and disbelief. 

The death of Atila is often rumoured to be associated with his spouse Jones. The reason? Well, people said that Atila was a healthy 45 year old man, who always kept himself fit. But many believe the association of his death with Jones to be mere speculation. 

Conclusion

We have, by now, seen every aspect of the life of the Turkish Bodyguard. It would not be wrong to say that he was a good human being, sharing compassion and empathy for the needy. If we keep his married life aside, he is just a simple human being who strived to make a living for himself. 

The story of Atila is a testament of the consequences that impulsive decisions might have on us. Although a good soul, Atila was often criticised for his rather violent act towards his wife. However, that one incident should not define his entire personality- he is much more than that. With that being said, the story of Atila Altaunbay comes to an end. 

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