French cinema legend faces multiple sexual assault charges

Actor Gérard Depardieu, a global ambassador for French cinema, will stand trial in October on charges of sexually assaulting two people on a film set in 2021.

The decision to prosecute was announced by the Paris Prosecutor’s Office to the press on April 24, saying that the defendant Gérard Depardieu, 75 years old, was questioned for several hours at a police station in the 14th district of Paris on April 22.

Mr. Gérard Depardieu was released on bail, denying all charges.

The trial, which is scheduled to begin in October, will consider allegations of rape and sexual assault against two victims, a man and a woman. The alleged assaults took place in September 2021, during the filming of the film Les Volets Verts- The Green Shutters, the prosecutor’s office said.

 

Gérard Depardieu. Photo: France News

One alleged victim, named by her lawyer as Amelie, 53, a set designer, filed a formal complaint with police in February, alleging that Gérard Depardieu first made obscene comments and then assaulted her as she walked off the set and into the hallway inside a Paris mansion where the film was being shot.

She said the actor grabbed her “brutally” and locked her legs around her with “extraordinary force” that left her unable to move. The actor then prepared to commit an obscene act when his bodyguards arrived and separated her.

Explaining why she did not report the incident at the time, Amelie said she did not want to affect the work of other colleagues in the crew, as well as the release of the film. “The kindness of the crew made me think that I would be fine. But the trauma still exists,” she said.

Ms. Amelie said she was forced to “speak out” when in October 2022, Gérard Depardieu declared that he “never abused women”.

The remaining victim in this case has not made any statements to the media.

The Paris prosecutor’s office added that actor Gérard Depardieu is also being investigated for raping and sexually assaulting actress Charlotte Arnould, 47 years his junior, at his Paris home in 2018. She was 22 at the time, and Depardieu was a close friend of her father.

 

Gérard Depardieu (right) in the film that made his name, Asterix and Obelix. Photo: TV Spielfilm

In addition to her, 13 other women, including actresses, make-up artists and production staff, have also accused Mr. Gérard Depardieu of sexual harassment, groping or assault. The earliest incident occurred in 2004, but the victims, who did not want to be identified, said they did not have the courage to “work” with the judicial authorities because of psychological trauma.

Depardieu, one of the greats of French cinema, has appeared in more than 170 films and is internationally known for his English-speaking roles. He has been a global ambassador for French cinema and is internationally known for his roles in Hollywood, including Green Card, The Man in the Iron Mask and Life of Pi.

He won numerous French and European film awards and was nominated for an Oscar in 1991 for his leading role in Cyrano de Bergerac .