Atila Altaunbay: Where Is Grace Jones' Ex-Husband Now?

Have you ever heard the name Atila Altaunbay?

Many people have not. But they know Grace Jones. She is a famous singer, actress, and model. Years ago, she married a man who was almost unknown. That man was Atila Altaunbay.

Their love story surprised many people. Grace was one of the biggest stars in the world. Atila lived a quiet life and worked regular jobs. Their marriage made news around the world. Then, just as quickly, Atila disappeared from the public eye.

So, what really happened to him? Where did he go? Why do people still search for him today?

In this article, you will learn about Atila Altaunbay’s early life, family, career, and marriage to Grace Jones. You will also learn how his life changed after fame found him. Let’s start from the beginning.

Atila Altaunbay Quick Bio


Full Name	Atila Altaunbay
Known For	Grace Jones’ ex-husband
Born	1976
Birthplace	Turkey
Nationality	Turkish
Ethnicity	Reported as Arab
Religion	Islam
Age	45 (at death)
Height	5 ft 7 in (170 cm)
Weight	68 kg (150 lbs)
Hair Color	Black
Eye Color	Dark Brown
Profession	Bodyguard, Singer, Model, Actor
Ex-Spouse	Grace Jones
Married	1996
Separated	Around 2004
Children	None (Stepfather to Paulo Goude)
Residence	Antwerp, Belgium (later years)
Died	October 2021
Cause of Death	Not publicly known
Net Worth	About $800,000 (estimated)

Who Is Atila Altaunbay?

Atila Altaunbay is best known as Grace Jones’ former husband. Before meeting Grace, very few people knew his name. He was not a famous actor or singer. He lived a simple life and worked hard for his future.

Everything changed after he met Grace Jones. Their relationship quickly became a big story. Many people wanted to know who this young man was. They also wanted to know why Grace chose him.

Even today, people still search for Atila Altaunbay. His marriage, private life, and sudden disappearance have made his story very interesting. Although many years have passed, people still want answers.

Atila Altaunbay’s Early Life and Family

Atila Altaunbay was born in 1976 in Turkey. He grew up in a Muslim family. His family believed in strong traditions and simple values. He kept most details about his childhood private, so only a little is known today.

Later, Atila moved to Belgium. He spent much of his younger life there. Like many young people, he worked hard and tried to build a better future. At that time, nobody knew his name.

One family rule later became very important. Reports say Atila was the youngest son. In his family, the younger son was expected to marry only after his older brothers. This tradition would later cause problems.

Even after becoming well known, Atila never shared much about his parents or family. He liked to keep his private life away from the public.

Atila Altaunbay’s Career Before Fame

Before fame, Atila Altaunbay lived a normal life. One of his first jobs was delivering pizza in Belgium. It was honest work, and he worked hard every day.

But he wanted to do more. He trained in CPR, AED, and martial arts. These skills helped him become a professional bodyguard. His job was to protect people and stay calm in difficult moments.

Atila also loved music. He took singing lessons and sang at weddings and local events. He enjoyed performing, even before people knew his name.

He also tried modeling and acting. Reports say he appeared in the film Mind Games. He also acted in stage shows. He was not a big movie star, but he enjoyed trying new things.

Looking back, Atila had many talents. His life was already changing before he met Grace Jones.

How Did Atila Altaunbay Meet Grace Jones?

Atila Altaunbay met Grace Jones in Belgium. At the time, he was working as a bodyguard. Grace was already famous around the world for her music, movies, and fashion.

Grace noticed Atila because he worked well. He stayed calm and did his job with care. She later offered him a better job working on her security team.

The two spent more time together. At first, they worked together. Then they became friends. Before long, friendship turned into love.

Their relationship surprised many people. Grace was a world-famous star. Atila was a young bodyguard who liked a quiet life. Even so, they enjoyed being together and did not let public opinions stop them.

Like many couples, they started with simple talks and shared time together. Those small moments slowly built a strong relationship.

Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones’ Marriage

Their love story soon became even bigger.

During a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Grace Jones surprised Atila. She asked him to marry her. He said yes.

The couple married on 24 February 1996 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. It was a private wedding with around 50 guests. They wanted a quiet day instead of a huge celebrity event.

Many newspapers talked about one thing more than anything else. It was their age difference. Grace Jones was almost 27 years older than Atila Altaunbay. Some people thought the marriage would not last. Others simply wished them happiness.

Some reports also say the couple later held another wedding ceremony in New York after questions were raised about the first one. Even with those reports, one fact is clear. Atila became the only man Grace Jones legally married.

Why Did Atila Altaunbay’s Family Oppose the Marriage?

Not everyone was happy about the wedding.

Reports say Atila Altaunbay’s family did not support the marriage. One reason was family tradition. As the youngest son, he was expected to wait until his older brothers married first.

There were other differences too. Grace Jones was older than Atila. She was also one of the world’s biggest stars. Their lives were very different, and some family members found it hard to accept the relationship.

Even with these problems, Atila stayed with Grace. He chose love over family pressure. That decision changed his life forever.

Sometimes love asks people to make hard choices. Atila Altaunbay made one of the biggest choices of his life when he married Grace Jones.

Why Did Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones Break Up?

At first, Atila Altaunbay and Grace Jones looked happy together. They traveled, attended events, and enjoyed life as a couple. From the outside, everything seemed fine.

But every marriage has challenges. Over time, small problems became bigger ones. Their different backgrounds, family pressure, and life in the public eye made things harder.

Grace Jones later shared that Atila became very protective. She said he sometimes became jealous when other men were around her. Since Grace was a famous singer and actress, meeting people was part of her daily life. This created more arguments between them.

Grace also wrote about one frightening moment in her memoir. She said Atila allegedly threatened her with a knife during an argument. This account comes from Grace herself. Atila never spoke publicly about it. After that incident, their relationship came to an end.

The couple separated around 2004 after about eight years of marriage. Grace later explained that they never completed a legal divorce because she could no longer find Atila. Even though they were separated, there is no public record showing their divorce was ever finalized.

Did Atila Altaunbay Have Children?

Many people search online to find out if Atila Altaunbay had children.

The answer is simple. He did not have any children with Grace Jones. During their marriage, the couple never welcomed a child together.

However, Atila became the stepfather of Paulo Goude. Paulo is Grace Jones’ only son from her earlier relationship with French artist Jean-Paul Goude.

People close to the family say Atila cared about Paulo and treated him kindly. Even though they were not related by blood, Atila became part of his life during the marriage.

Today, Paulo works in music and other creative projects. His success is another small part of the family’s story.

Where Is Atila Altaunbay Now?

For many years, one question has appeared again and again.

Where is Atila Altaunbay now?

After leaving Grace Jones, Atila walked away from public life. He did not give interviews. He did not appear on television. He stayed away from newspapers and celebrity events.

Reports say he returned to Belgium. There, he chose a quiet life instead of fame. While many people expected him to stay in the spotlight, he did the opposite.

He later became involved with Helping Hands Belgium, a charity group. The group worked to help poor families and people who needed support. Instead of looking for attention, Atila spent his time helping others.

Very little else became public. He stayed private for many years. That quiet life is one reason so many people still search for Atila Altaunbay today.

Atila Altaunbay’s Death and Cause of Death

In October 2021, sad news about Atila Altaunbay appeared online.

Helping Hands Belgium shared a message saying that Atila had passed away. The group spoke kindly about him and thanked him for his work helping people. It showed that he had earned respect from those who knew him.

His funeral was held at the Mehmet Akif Mosque in Antwerp, Belgium. Family, friends, and people from the charity attended the service. It was a private goodbye.

One question still has no answer.

How did Atila Altaunbay die?

No official cause of death has ever been shared with the public. Many people have asked about it, but no trusted source has given an answer. As of 2026, the cause of his death remains unknown.

Atila Altaunbay’s Net Worth and Career Earnings

Atila Altaunbay never became one of the richest celebrities. Still, he worked hard throughout his life and built a good career.

He earned money from different jobs. He worked as a bodyguard, singer, model, and actor. Earlier in life, he also worked as a pizza delivery driver while building his future.

Several celebrity websites estimate that Atila Altaunbay’s net worth was around $800,000. This number has never been officially confirmed, so it should be seen as an estimate.

His former wife, Grace Jones, earned much more because of her long career in music, movies, and fashion. Even so, Atila built his own path and earned his own living.

Interesting Facts About Atila Altaunbay

Atila Altaunbay lived a life full of surprises.

Before meeting Grace Jones, he delivered pizzas in Belgium. Later, he became a trained bodyguard. He also learned CPR, AED, and martial arts. These skills helped him build a professional career.

He loved music as well. He took singing lessons and performed at weddings and other small events. He also enjoyed acting and modeling. Reports say he appeared in the movie Mind Games and acted in stage shows.

One of the most interesting things about Atila is that he never tried to become a celebrity. After leaving Grace Jones, he stayed away from the spotlight. He chose a simple life instead.

His charity work also showed another side of his personality. He spent time helping people instead of chasing fame. That choice makes his story different from many other celebrity partners.

Final Thoughts

The story of Atila Altaunbay is both interesting and emotional. He started life as a young man from Turkey. He later moved to Belgium, worked regular jobs, and slowly built a better future.

His marriage to Grace Jones changed everything. It brought him worldwide attention, but it also brought many challenges. After the marriage ended, he chose peace instead of fame.

In his later years, Atila stayed away from cameras and focused on helping other people. Even after his reported death in 2021, many questions remain. People still wonder what happened to him and why his life became so private.

As of 2026, Atila Altaunbay is remembered for much more than being Grace Jones’ ex-husband. He was a hardworking man, a caring stepfather, a bodyguard, and someone who chose a quiet life when the spotlight faded. That is why his story continues to interest readers around the world.