French actor Gérard Depardieu has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women in one of the most high-profile #MeToo cases in Europe.
The veteran actor, aged 76, has starred in over 200 films, such as Cyrano de Bergerac and Jean de Florette, and has garnered numerous accolades during a career spanning more than five decades in the film industry.
Following an incident during the filming of the 2021 movie Les Volets Verts, the actor was convicted in a Paris court on Tuesday, May 13, receiving an 18-month suspended prison sentence for inappropriately touching two women who were part of the film crew. These women, both working behind the scenes, revealed that they had been too frightened to report the misconduct earlier, feeling intimidated by the actor.
One of the individuals, a set designer named Amelie K, recounted her experience by stating that the actor had used vulgar language, physically restrained her, and groped her body. She expressed her fear, recalling feeling petrified and describing the actor’s demeanor as that of a crazed person. Amelie K disclosed that the actor had touched her inappropriately, including her breasts, all while he was laughing, further intensifying her terror.
Depardieu fiercely denied the allegations and initially received support from high-profile figures in the film industry, along with French president Emmanuel Macron, who previously described the star as “the pride of France.” However, the court found his account of the incidents to be inconsistent.
Carine Diebolt, lawyer for Amelie K, claimed that Depardieu deliberately targeted women who were not high-profile. “He is strong with the weak and weak with the strong,” she said.
During cross-examination, Depardieu admitted that he first denied touching the victim at all before saying he grasped her hips to avoid a fall, and then claimed he was trying to get her attention. He also said he did not know what sexual assault was.
Diebolt later told Sky News that Depardieu was finally being held accountable for behavior that had been tolerated due to his status and fame. “These women were put in danger,” she said. “This is about a line of offenses that he committed over many years that were tolerated by the world of cinema because it was Gérard Depardieu. Because the financial benefits he brings to the industry are so substantial. He did make some excellent films, but all men are equal before the law. Nobody warned Amelie about Depardieu’s behaviour, so his words and actions came as a terrible surprise for her. She still has traumatic flashbacks.”
The lawyer added that around 20 other women have come forward with allegations about the actor. He will stand trial again later this year on charges of raping actress Charlotte Arnould. She has accused Depardieu, a friend of her parents, of raping her at his Paris home.
