Gérard Depardieu Faces Additional Sexual Assault Allegation
Set Designer Accuses Actor of Harassment and Assault on Film Set
Mon 26 Feb 2024 13.41 CET
The famous French actor Gérard Depardieu, who is already under investigation for alleged rape, has now been accused of another instance of sexual assault. A set designer has filed a legal complaint against Depardieu, accusing him of sexually harassing and assaulting her on a film set in 2021. This is the second allegation of sexual misconduct by the 75-year-old actor during the shooting of the 2022 film Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in Paris. The film also stars Anouk Grinberg and Fanny Ardant.
The complainant, named Amélie and represented by her lawyer Carine Durrieu Diebolt, lodged a legal complaint with the prosecutor’s office. Amélie told the online newspaper Mediapart that Depardieu made a number of offensive remarks to her on 10 September 2021. She described the alleged incident in which the actor “brutally grabbed her”, pinning her between his thighs with “phenomenal force” and “kneaded her waist and stomach right up to her breasts” while sitting in a corridor. She also mentioned that the actor’s bodyguard on the film set interrupted the incident.
At the time, Amélie decided not to press charges to avoid disrupting the work of her colleagues and the film’s release. She thought that the kindness of the film crew would eventually make things better, but the trauma persisted. It resurfaced last October when Depardieu published an open letter denying all allegations. Amélie, however, has had significant difficulties after the incident, being unable to work, experiencing anxiety attacks, and suffering from post-traumatic stress.
Amélie’s lawyer, Durrieu Diebolt, has sent the complaint to the Paris public prosecutor’s office, alleging sexual assault, sexist insult, and harassment. The public prosecutor will review the case and determine the appropriate legal action to investigate. Depardieu’s lawyers have not commented on the issue, and the Paris prosecutor’s office has not confirmed the receipt of the complaint.
The allegations against Depardieu continue to mount, with a dozen other women accusing the actor of sexual abuse. In December 2020, he was officially put under investigation for the alleged rape and sexual assault of actor Charlotte Arnould, occurring in 2018 when she was 22 years old. Depardieu maintains that any encounter with Arnould was consensual and has attempted to have the charges dismissed. However, a Paris court found “serious and confirmed evidence” to continue the charges, and the case is currently being processed through the legal system.
It is worth noting that in January, prosecutors closed a case brought by actor Hélène Darras, who claimed Depardieu had sexually abused her during the shooting of the 2007 film Disco, due to the statute of limitations. Darras was one of the 13 women who accused Depardieu of sexual misconduct in an investigative story by Mediapart in April 2023.
These allegations against Depardieu, a prominent figure in French cinema for over 50 years, have consistently generated controversy throughout his career. They have divided public opinion, with some supporting him, such as the 50 artists who signed an open letter condemning his treatment as a “lynching” and a violation of the presumption of innocence. Others, however, have prioritized supporting the victims of sexual abuse, with about 600 people signing a counter letter to raise awareness and provide assistance to survivors.
In a television interview, French President Emmanuel Macron expressed his support for Depardieu, describing him as an “immense actor who makes France proud” and emphasizing the importance of the presumption of innocence. Macron also characterized Depardieu as a target of a “manhunt”.
