Christian Delpey has lived a thousand lives: sailor at 16, bar owner, actor… This Périgord with a hectic destiny takes us on a journey from Périgord to Dakar… His story is written between challenges, passion and love for freedom.
Born in Périgueux in 1954, Christian is a man who has always let himself be guided by his curiosity and his love of adventure. At just 16 years old, with a certificate in hand, he left his neighborhood of Gour de l’Arche in Périgueux and joined the navy, a choice that led him to travel the oceans and discover distant places and cultures. Among his notable stops was Dakar, where he lived for a long time. This openness to the world shapes his personality, and the young man matures throughout his missions, even going through intense historical periods, such as the reopening of the Suez Canal or the independence of Djibouti.
From Toulon to Brest, via the African coasts, Christian cultivates a free and exploratory spirit. These years at sea left him with memorable memories and reinforced his desire to multiply experiences, which would guide him throughout his life.
From Périgueux to American cinema: a man of many lives
After his years of service, Christian returned to Périgueux, he was 20 years old, and his desire to travel intact. The death of his father will change the course of his life…Kiki Delpey does not leave again, and decides to support his family… He first launches into plumbing and air conditioning supported by the Navy which reclassifies its sailors . He moved to Nantes with his wife, restored an old manor house near the home of Louis de Funès, divorced, remarried, divorced again and returned to Périgueux to join his brother Francis (today head of Sixième Sens and of the Périgueux Pâté Brotherhood). Kiki will quickly become an essential figure… Owner of several establishments, bars, nightclubs, he ends up, when he becomes the father of a little girl, by taking the head of the Universe in Ribérac, to settle down a bit… An emblematic establishment that he managed for 18 years. This place quickly becomes a sharing space, where he welcomes customers and friends, combining conviviality and passion for local life, in particular the famous Friday market. A big rugby fan, Christian even makes it a topic of lively discussions with his regulars!
It is perhaps this endearing and charismatic personality which attracts the attention of filmmakers, notably the American director Wes Anderson, who offers him a thug role in ” The French Dispatch “. Spotted by a caster for his “mouth” as he says… Although this foray into cinema was unexpected, it fits perfectly into Christian’s career, always ready to take on new challenges with the audacity and taste for adventure that marked his entire life.
The French Dispatch
