Saturday, March 29, 2025
The long-awaited Gérard Depardieu verdict due today will mark a pivotal moment in one of the most high-profile #MeToo trials in France. Depardieu, 76, will appear in a Paris courtroom to hear the judgment in a case involving accusations of sexual assault by two women during the filming of Les Volets Verts in 2021.
The acclaimed actor faces up to five years behind bars and a €75,000 fine if convicted. He has denied all charges, claiming the accusations have damaged his legacy and are based on lies.
Depardieu is accused of assaulting a 54-year-old set decorator, referred to as Amélie, and a 34-year-old assistant director during production. According to testimony, Depardieu pinned Amélie between his legs and forcibly groped her while using lewd language.
Amélie described the incident as deeply frightening, recalling his aggressive demeanor and inappropriate comments.
“I saw pleasure in his eyes while I was scared,” she testified. “He terrified me—and it amused him.”
In another allegation, the assistant director testified that Depardieu groped her on three occasions. Both women stated they were targeted due to their junior status on set.
During the proceedings, Depardieu acknowledged using crude language like “Dick! Pussy!” but dismissed it as childish humor. He categorically denied any sexual misconduct, asserting he had been vilified by the media and targeted by the #MeToo movement.
“This movement is going to become a terror,” he warned, criticizing both the campaign and protesters who confronted him during his concert tour.
His defense attorney, Jérémie Assous, argued that the accusations were fabricated and part of a broader effort to destroy the reputation of a cinematic legend.
State prosecutor Laurent Guy insisted that the assaults were “indisputable,” particularly the incident involving Amélie, which had three eyewitnesses. Guy criticized Depardieu’s “total denial” and lack of introspection.
One witness, a 30-year-old actor, also recounted an alleged assault by Depardieu during her first major role at age 20 on the Netflix series Marseille, adding to a picture of a pattern of misconduct. She claimed he groped her under her clothing, then implied it was the price of success in cinema.
Aside from the current trial, the Paris prosecutor has requested that Depardieu face a separate legal proceeding for rape and sexual assault in a case involving actor Charlotte Arnould. A trial date for that matter has yet to be confirmed.
In 2023, Depardieu publicly denied Arnould’s allegations in an open letter, claiming their encounter was consensual.
