Atila Altaunbay is known to many people because he married the music and fashion icon Grace Jones in the 1990s. Outside that time, he chose a quiet life and kept his story private. This article looks at what is known from reliable sources and explains clearly where the facts end and where rumors begin. It uses simple language so it is easy to read.
Personl Information
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Full name | Atila Altaunbay |
| Nationality | Turkish. Grace Jones wrote that he was “a Muslim from Turkey.” |
| Known for | Marriage to Grace Jones (1996), very private life after |
| Met Grace | In Belgium, before they married |
| Marriage | 1996. They eloped in Brazil. Grace’s father later performed a ceremony at the family home in Syracuse, New York. |
| Age at marriage | Mid-20s. Grace later wrote she learned he was 24 at the time. |
| Religion | Muslim |
| Job during that time | Worked close to Grace; known publicly as a bodyguard. Grace has also spoken warmly and personally about him in interviews. |
| Legal status with Grace | They separated in the early 2000s. Grace wrote that she could not find him to complete a legal divorce at the time of her 2015 memoir. |
| Life after separation | Very private. No confirmed public profile, interviews, or official statements from him |
A short introduction to Atila and Grace
Grace Jones wrote in her memoir that Atila was the only man she ever married, and that he was Turkish and Muslim. This corrects old media stories that suggested she married a different partner in the late 1980s. The key point is simple. Grace says she married only Atila.
How they met and married
Reliable reporting shows they met in Belgium. Their relationship moved from work and friendship to love. In 1996, they married while Grace was traveling. The couple eloped in Brazil. Later, Grace’s father, who was a minister, held a family ceremony at their home in Syracuse, New York. These details appear in respected coverage that draws from Grace’s own book.
In the memoir, Grace also writes that during the paperwork she learned Atila was younger than she first thought. She discovered he was 24 at the time. This gives readers a sense of the age gap that many magazines later discussed.
Their life together
During their years together, they tried to keep some privacy. Grace often led a very public life on stage and in fashion. Atila, in contrast, kept a lower profile. In a 2015 interview, Grace even joked about gender roles in their relationship and described playful, personal moments that showed they were close. That interview does not reveal private facts about his work or family, but it shows their bond was real and warm.
Separation and legal status
The marriage did not last. By the early 2000s, they had separated. In her memoir, published in 2015, Grace wrote that they were not legally divorced then because she could not find him to finish the process. Some websites list a formal end date for the marriage, but Grace’s own account is careful and clear about the difficulty of contacting him. When there is a difference between a database entry and a first-person source, it is best to follow the first-person source.
Atila’s private life after Grace Jones
After the separation, public information about Atila becomes very limited. There are no confirmed interviews by him in major newspapers or magazines. There are also no verified social media accounts or official statements linked to him. Many blogs repeat the same small set of photos from the 1990s and early 2000s and retell the same points from Grace’s book.
Because of this, readers will see many claims online that cannot be checked. For example, some pages try to give an exact birth year, a new career, or even a date of death. These claims often do not cite strong sources. If a detail is not backed by a respected outlet or by Grace’s memoir, it is safer to mark it as unconfirmed. The most trustworthy, on-record facts about Atila’s later years are that he stayed out of the spotlight and that Grace could not reach him when she wrote her book.
What we can say with confidence
- He is Turkish, and Grace identified him as Muslim.
- They met in Belgium and married in 1996. The elopement in Brazil and the family ceremony in Syracuse are well reported.
- He was in his mid-20s at marriage. Grace wrote that he was 24.
- They later separated. Grace’s 2015 account said she could not find him to finalize a divorce.
- He has kept a very private life since then. No reliable, new public record changes that picture today.
Common rumors and how to read them
- Exact birth year. Many websites list dates, but they do not agree. The only solid number we have is his age at the time of marriage from Grace’s own words. Treat other numbers as estimates unless a strong source appears.
- New careers or public work. Claims that he became a model, actor, or philanthropist after the marriage often lack good sources.
- Reports of death. Some posts claim he died, but they do not provide verified records or major news reports. When a claim this serious has no reliable source, it should not be treated as fact.
Why interest in Atila remains high
Grace Jones is an icon in music, fashion, and film. People who shaped her life often draw attention, and Atila is part of that story. But not everyone linked to a famous person wants public life. Atila seems to be one of those people. His choice to live quietly means we should respect the limits of what is known and avoid filling the gaps with guesswork.
Final thoughts
Atila Altaunbay chose privacy. From trusted sources we know he married Grace Jones in 1996, that he was in his mid-20s at the time, that he was Turkish and Muslim, and that they separated years later. Since then, he has kept away from publicity. For readers and writers, the respectful path is simple. Share the facts we can support, say “unknown” when the record is thin, and avoid repeating rumors. That is how we honor a private person who once stood in a very bright light.
FAQs about Atila Altaunbay
- Who is Atila Altaunbay?
He is a Turkish man best known to the public as Grace Jones’s husband in the 1990s. Grace herself wrote that he was “a Muslim from Turkey.” - How did Atila meet Grace Jones?
They met in Belgium, before they married. - When did they marry?
In 1996. They eloped in Brazil and later held a family ceremony in Syracuse with Grace’s father officiating. - How old was Atila when they married?
Grace wrote that she learned during the paperwork that he was 24. - Did they have children together?
No. Grace has one son, Paulo, from a previous relationship. - Are Grace and Atila divorced?
Grace’s 2015 memoir said she could not find him to complete a legal divorce after they split. Some sites list a later divorce year, but her account explains why that was difficult. - What work did Atila do?
Publicly, he is known as someone who worked close to Grace, often described as a bodyguard. He kept a low profile, and detailed job records are not public. Grace has also spoken about him in a personal way in interviews. - Where is Atila now?
There is no confirmed public information about his current location or work. He has stayed off the public stage. - Is the story about a second wedding true?
Yes. After eloping in Brazil, they held a family ceremony in Syracuse, New York, with Grace’s father officiating. - What sources are best for learning about Atila?
The most reliable starting point is Grace Jones’s memoir I’ll Never Write My Memoirs and respected coverage that cites it. Be careful with unsourced claims on blogs and social media.
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