Editing Luc Besson (section)

==Personal life==
Besson has been married four times; first, in 1986, to actress [[Anne Parillaud]]. They had a daughter, Juliette, born in 1987. Parillaud starred in Besson's ''[[La Femme Nikita (film)|La Femme Nikita]]'' (1990). They divorced in 1991.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Dutka |first=Elaine |date=1991-03-27 |title=The 'Fairy Tale' Luck of Director Luc Besson : Movies: His latest film, 'La Femme Nikita,' the story of a crazed addict transformed into a ruthless undercover agent, is a surprise hit. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-03-27-ca-1087-story.html |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref>

Besson's second wife was actress and director [[Maïwenn|Maïwenn Le Besco]], whom he started dating when he was 32 and she was 15 after having met 3 years earlier.<ref name="LeonDVDExtras">{{cite web |title=Leon: The Professional |url=http://www.sbs.com.au/films/movie/7402/Leon:-The-Professional- |website=sbs.com.au |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100912042536/http://www.sbs.com.au/films/movie/7402/Leon:-The-Professional- |archive-date=September 12, 2010}}</ref> They married in late 1992 when Le Besco, 16, was pregnant with their daughter [[Shanna Besson|Shanna]], who was born on 3 January 1993.<ref>[https://archive.today/20130825210727/http://rateyourmusic.com/artist/shanna_besson Shanna Besson]. Sbs.com.au (15 August 2012). Retrieved on 20 September 2013.</ref>{{deprecated source|certain=y|date=November 2024}} Le Besco later claimed that their relationship inspired Besson's film ''[[Léon: The Professional|Léon]]'' (1994), where the plot involved the emotional relationship between an adult man and a 12-year-old girl (played by then 12-year-old [[Natalie Portman]]).<ref name="LeonDVDExtras" /> Their marriage ended in 1997, when Besson became involved with actress [[Milla Jovovich]], then 19, during the production of ''[[The Fifth Element]]'' (1997).<ref>{{Cite web |last=Satenstein |first=Liana |date=2022-05-11 |title=Milla Jovovich Talks Her Epic 'The Fifth Element' Costume |url=https://www.vogue.com/article/behind-the-moment-milla-jovovich |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=Vogue |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=There Will Never Be Another 'Fifth Element' — and More Amazing Stories About the Making of Luc Besson's 1997 Classic |url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/07/19/fifth-element-oral-history-luc-besson/ |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref><ref name=":1">{{Cite web |title=The stakes were too high for Milla to stay married to Luc. - Free Online Library |url=https://www.thefreelibrary.com/The+stakes+were+too+high+for+Milla+to+stay+married+to+Luc.-a060854752 |access-date=2024-08-01 |website=www.thefreelibrary.com}}</ref>  "We sensed the special chemistry between us immediately at the auditions and it just intensified during the filming of the movie," said Jovovich.<ref name=":1" />

He married Jovovich on December 14, 1997, when he was {{age|1959|3|18|1997|12|14}} and she was 21. They divorced in 1999.<ref>Kee, Chang; Stevens, Victoria (5 May 2012). Maïwenn's "Polisse". ''Anthem Magazine'', 5 May 2012. "Text: Kee Chang
Images: Victoria Stevens". Retrieved on 20 September 2013 from http://anthemmagazine.com/film-critic-maiwenns-polisse/.</ref><ref name=":1" />

On August 28, 2004, at age {{age|1959|3|18|2004|8|28}}, Besson married film producer [[Virginie Silla]], 32. They have three children,<ref name="karenr">{{cite news|title=Besson Becomes A Father for the Fifth Time|newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]]|date=29 September 2005|url=http://blog.sfgate.com/dailydish/2005/09/29/besson-becomes-a-father-for-the-fifth-time}}</ref> including the actress [[Thalia Besson]].<ref>{{cite web|date=15 September 2024|website=Glamour|url=https://www.glamour.com/story/emily-in-paris-genevieve-thalia-besson |title= Who Plays Genevieve in Emily in Paris? Everything We Know About Thalia Besson |accessdate=28 November 2024}}</ref>

Since 2025, he is in relationship with lawyer {{ill|Sarah Saldmann|fr|Sarah Saldmann|lt=Sarah Saldmann,}}<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-13 |title=Qui est Sarah Saldmann, la nouvelle compagne de Luc Besson ? - Elle |url=https://www.elle.fr/People/La-vie-des-people/News/Qui-est-Sarah-Saldmann-la-nouvelle-compagne-de-Luc-Besson-4316350 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=elle.fr |language=fr}}</ref> thirty-two years<ref>{{Cite web |last=OLN |date=2025-02-13 |title=Luc Besson en couple avec Sarah Saldmann ? Cyril Hanouna “mort”, sa réaction en direct vaut l’os |url=https://www.closermag.fr/people/luc-besson-en-couple-avec-sarah-saldmann-cyril-hanouna-mort-sa-reaction-en-direct-vaut-los-3517272 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=Closer |language=fr-FR}}</ref> younger than him.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2025-02-13 |title=«Atteinte à la vie privée» : Sarah Saldmann réagit à ses photos volées avec Luc Besson dans Paris Match |url=https://tvmag.lefigaro.fr/programme-tv/people/atteinte-a-la-vie-privee-sarah-saldmann-reagit-a-ses-photos-volees-avec-luc-besson-dans-paris-match-20250213 |access-date=2025-02-13 |website=TV Magazine |language=fr}}</ref>

=== Rape accusation ===
In 2018, Dutch-Belgian actress [[Sand Van Roy]], who appeared in ''Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets'', accused Besson of rape.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-44184754|title=Luc Besson: French film director accused of rape|publisher=[[BBC News]]|date=19 May 2018}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |last=Peltier |first=Elian |date=2019-02-25 |title=Luc Besson, French Director, Won't Be Charged After Rape Accusation |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2019/02/25/movies/luc-besson-accusation-no-charges.html |access-date=2024-08-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=Rubin |first1=Alissa J. |last2=Peltier |first2=Elian |date=2018-07-30 |title=An Influential French Director Is Accused of Sexual Abuse. The Reaction Has Been Muted. |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/07/30/movies/luc-besson-metoo-france.html |access-date=2024-08-01 |work=The New York Times |language=en-US |issn=0362-4331}}</ref>

The director's lawyer Thierry Marembert stated that Besson "categorically denies these fantasist accusations" and that the accuser was "someone he knows, towards whom he has never behaved inappropriately".<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/luc-besson-rape-investigation-allegation-paris-france-valerian-fifth-element-a8359971.html|title=Filmmaker Luc Besson under investigation over rape allegation|last=Baynes|first=Chris|work=[[The Independent]]|date=21 May 2018|access-date=20 May 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/second-accuser-says-luc-besson-sexually-assaulted-her/|title=Second accuser says Luc Besson sexually assaulted her|last=Park|first=Andrea|date=10 July 2018|publisher=[[CBS News]]}}</ref>

In February 2019, French prosecutors dropped the case against him, citing lack of evidence.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wiseman |first1=Andreas |title=French Prosecutors Drop Rape Case Against Luc Besson, Cite Lack of Evidence – Update |url=https://deadline.com/2019/02/luc-besson-rape-case-valerian-sand-van-roy-french-prosecutors-evidence-metoo-1202564877/ |access-date=26 May 2021 |website=[[Deadline Hollywood]] |date=25 February 2019}}</ref><ref name=":2" /> In December 2021, a judge dismissed the case against Besson following a second investigation.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Roxborough |first1=Scott |date=9 December 2021 |title=French Judge Dismisses Rape Allegations Against Luc Besson Following Investigation |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/luc-besson-rape-case-dismissed-by-french-judge-1235059936/ |access-date=9 December 2021}}</ref> The public prosecutor's office in Paris stated that "the investigations clearly establish that the criminal facts of rape were not committed, that the absence of consent of the civil party is not established and the existence of a constraint, threat, violence, is not characterized".<ref>{{Cite web |last=Cantié |first=Valérie |date=2019-07-12 |title=Accusations d'agressions sexuelles et de viols : où en sont les procédures lancées contre Luc Besson ? |url=https://www.radiofrance.fr/franceinter/accusations-d-agressions-sexuelles-et-de-viols-ou-en-sont-les-procedures-lancees-contre-luc-besson-3492971 |access-date=2023-02-23 |website=France Inter |language=fr}}</ref> In April 2022, Van Roy submitted a complaint against the magistrate in charge of the case.<ref>{{Cite web |date=29 April 2022 |title=INFO FRANCE 2. Affaire Luc Besson : Sand Van Roy porte plainte contre la magistrate qui a prononcé le non-lieu |url=https://www.msn.com/fr-fr/actualite/culture/info-france-2-affaire-luc-besson-sand-van-roy-porte-plainte-contre-la-magistrate-qui-a-prononcé-le-non-lieu/ar-AAWIzds# |access-date=29 April 2022 |website=MSN for FranceInfo |language=fr}}</ref> In June 2023, Besson was definitively cleared of all charges, following a ruling by the [[Court of Cassation (France)|Court of Cassation]], the highest judicial court in France. This ruling prevents Van Roy from suing him on the same charges in France or elsewhere in Europe.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Keslassy |first=Elsa |date=2023-06-21 |title=French Filmmaker Luc Besson Definitively Cleared of All Charges in Rape Case |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/global/luc-besson-rape-charges-cleared-1235650624/ |access-date=2023-07-03 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref>

Several other women, including a former assistant, two students of [[Cité du Cinéma]] studio, and a former employee of Besson's [[EuropaCorp]], who all wished to remain anonymous, described "inappropriate sexual behavior" by the director.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Bredoux |first1=Lénaïg |author2-link=Marine Turchi |last2=Turchi |first2=Marine |last3=Le Guilcher |first3=Geoffrey |date=9 July 2018 |title=Violences sexuelles: plusieurs femmes accusent Luc Besson |language=fr-FR |work=Mediapart |url=https://www.mediapart.fr/journal/france/090718/violences-sexuelles-plusieurs-femmes-accusent-luc-besson?onglet=full |access-date=6 August 2018}}</ref> Having no physical evidence to support their stories, they did not press charges and avoided a defamation countersuit. Their stories were not used by the [[Investigating judge (France)|investigating judge]].<ref>{{cite web |date=28 November 2018 |title=Five more women make sex-offence allegations against Luc Besson |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/nov/28/five-more-women-make-sex-offence-allegations-against-luc-besson |access-date=3 December 2018 |work=[[The Guardian]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Zemouri |first=Aziz |date=2021-05-13 |title=Affaire Luc Besson : la juge d'instruction ne suit pas Mediapart |url=https://www.lepoint.fr/societe/affaire-luc-besson-la-juge-d-instruction-ne-suit-pas-mediapart-13-05-2021-2426323_23.php |access-date=2023-04-18 |website=Le Point |language=fr}}</ref>