Renowned French actor Gérard Depardieu has been charged with rape and s**ual assault, allegedly committed in 2018 against a young actress in her twenties.
An initial investigation into the rape accusations against the 72-year-old actor was dropped in 2019 due to a lack of evidence.
However, last summer, the case was reopened, leading to criminal charges being filed in December, according to a judicial source cited by Agence France-Presse.
The actor claims that Depardieu raped and assaulted her on two separate occasions at his home in Paris in August 2018.
Depardieu’s lawyer, Hervé Temime, stated that his client, who is currently free but under judicial supervision, “completely denies the allegations.”
Temime also expressed regret that the case has been made public.
According to a source close to the case, Depardieu is a friend of the actress’s family.
The woman’s lawyer, Élodie Tuaillon-Hibon, expressed her hope that her client’s privacy will be respected throughout the unfolding of the case.
In addition to being a superstar in his native country, Depardieu is renowned as one of France’s most prominent actors worldwide.
He gained acclaim for his roles in French-language films like “The Last Metro” and “Jean de Florette,” and went on to star in various English-language movies, including the romantic comedy “Green Card” and a film adaptation of “Hamlet.”
Depardieu is famous for his tireless work ethic, having appeared in over 200 cinema or TV movies throughout his career spanning more than 50 years.
However, he has frequently been involved in scandals that have garnered media attention and has had public outbursts.
In 2005, he knocked a paparazzo unconscious, while in 2011, he urinated in the cabin of a Paris-Dublin flight.
He also attacked a motorist in central Paris in 2012, resulting in a fine for drink-driving the following year.
“The man may have his dark side, but the actor is immense,” commented fellow actor Catherine Deneuve, who co-starred with Depardieu in “The Last Metro” in 1980.
In late 2012, Depardieu made headlines by announcing that he was “returning his passport” to protest against French tax rates.
He subsequently sought tax exile in Belgium and became a citizen of Russia, where he praised the country as “a great democracy” while regularly expressing admiration for Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Following the reopening of the case by Paris prosecutors, Depardieu was questioned by an investigating magistrate on December 16.
The decision to press charges was made after the magistrate found “serious and corroborated evidence.”
Police also arranged a confrontation between Depardieu and his alleged victim, according to a judicial source.
Depardieu, a father of four, including the late actor Guillaume Depardieu, has pursued various ventures alongside his prolific acting career, such as winemaking, owning restaurants, and singing.
Over three years after the emergence of the #MeToo movement, which shattered taboos surrounding rape worldwide, France is witnessing a wave of stories and an extensive debate about s**, power, and consent.
Other prominent figures in the film industry, such as director Luc Besson, known for films like “Nikita” and “The Fifth Element,” have also faced accusations of s**ual assault or rape.
Week after week, new revelations continue to target the rich and powerful in France, with the latest being the accusation of rape against well-known television presenter Patrick Poivre d’Arvor.
Similar allegations have also shaken the French political establishment, including accusations against Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin.
Former French government
