BREAKING NEWSGérard Depardieu Found Guilty of Sexually Assaulting 2 Women on Film Set After French Actor's Infamous #MeToo Case
Gérard Depardieu will serve an 18-month suspended prison sentence.
Gérard Depardieu was found guilty of sexual assault.
The French actor, 76, will serve an 18-month suspended prison sentence for groping two separate women on the set of the 2021 movie Les Volets Verts, a judge declared in Parisian court on Tuesday, May 13.
Both females had been working as behind-the-scenes crew members for the movie when they were allegedly approached by Depardieu and touched inappropriately. The case arose following accusations against Depardieu that resulted in one of the most infamous storylines of the #MeToo movement.
Victims Speak in Court
Set designer Amélie K accused Gérard Depardieu of groping her on a 2021 film set.
"I was petrified," a set designer who identified herself as Amélie K, now 54, told the court of why she didn't initially come forward about the assault. She detailed how Depardieu used vulgar language and trapped her between his legs as she walked through a corridor at work one day. He then began touching her body.
"He terrified me, he looked like a madman," she claimed. "He touched everything, including my b------. I was terrified, he was laughing."
Gérard Depardieu Gets Schooled by Victim's Lawyer
At least 20 women have come forward accusing Gérard Depardieu of sexual assault.
Amelia K's lawyer Carine Diebolt argued that Depardieu appeared to target women he knew were not of high caliber in the industry.
"He is strong with the weak and weak with the strong," the attorney snubbed.
Later on Tuesday, Diebolt admitted it was about time the French film star was held accountable for his actions.
"These women were put in danger," she told reporters after court. "This is about a line of offenses that he committed over many years that were tolerated by the world of cinema because it was Gerard 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 Amélie about Depardieu’s behavior, so his words and actions came as a terrible surprise for her. She still has traumatic flashbacks."
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Gérard Depardieu's Cross-Examination Arguments
Gerard Depardieu claimed he didn't know what sexual assault was.
Depardieu didn’t have the strongest stance during cross examination.
The Jean de Florette actor at first denied ever touching the victim before alleging he only grasped her hips to avoid a fall.
He claimed to never try getting the employee’s attention and said he didn’t know what sexual assault was.
French Actor to Stand Trial for Rape Charges
Charlotte Arnould accused the French actor of rape in 2018.
Depardieu’s legal battle is nowhere near over.
The actor is set to stand trial again later this year after being charged with raping actress Charlotte Arnould, which he was first accused of in 2018.
Arnould alleged Depardieu was a friend of her parents and raped her inside of his Paris home.
20 other women have also spoken out in recent years with sexual assault claims against the star.
Gérard Depardieu Initially Backed by French Elite
French President Emmanuel Macron initially called Gerard Depardieu the 'pride of France.'
Depardieu being found guilty contradicts what his famous supporters argued after the case initially came to light in 2023.
As the Cyrano de Bergerac star vehemently denied the allegations, high-profile individuals from the film industry initially defended the actor, with French president Emmanuel Macron previously describing the celebrity as "the pride of France."
Macron later backtracked on his remarks during a May 2024 interview with Elle, insisting his comment was taken out of context since he wasn't "complacent" about the sexual harassment and abuse accusations surrounding Depardieu.
"I just want a respect for our principles, such as the presumption of innocence," the French president declared at the time, calling it a "good thing."
