Gerard Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault

French actor Gerard Depardieu has been found guilty of sexual assault against two women and given an 18-month suspended sentence.

This is reported by Sky News.

Depardieu, 76, who has appeared in more than 200 films, was found guilty by a Paris court of sexual assault during the filming of Les Volets Verts (Green Shutters) in 2021. Both women worked on the set behind the scenes.

They said they were afraid to speak out about the actorʼs actions at the time and were intimidated by Depardieu. The victims said he first used obscene, vulgar, and sexually explicit language towards them, and then grabbed and groped their bodies without consent.

Production designer Amelie said the man pinned her between his legs as she tried to walk past him in the hallway and then started touching her. “He scared me — he looked like a madman,” she said.

Gerard Depardieu denied the accusations and said he “doesn’t even know what sexual assault is”. He was supported by many actors and directors, and President Emmanuel Macron even called the actor “the pride of France”.

The man will stand trial again later this year, this time on charges of raping actress Shalotte Arnault, who claims Depardieu, a friend of her parents, raped her at his Paris estate.

• In total, Depardieu was accused of harassing at least 13 women. Previously interviewed victims said that the actor would publicly spread his hands, trying to get under their underwear or dresses, offer to go to the changing room, and react aggressively to their refusal.
• French actress Emmanuelle Debever, who accused Gérard Depardieu of violence after filming the film Danton (1983), drowned in the Seine on December 14, 2023. She was the first actress to make allegations against Depardieu publicly.
• A Belgian municipality stripped Depardieu of his honorary citizenship days after the Canadian province of Quebec stripped him of the award for his controversial comments about women, and a Paris museum later removed his wax figure after allegations of sexual assault.
• The accusations effectively made Depardieu an outcast in the film community. He hasnʼt appeared in any films since 2022.

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