The French justice system seems to be serious: the acting legend Gérard Depardieu (75) is in police custody. As reported by the daily newspaper “Le Parisien”, citing authorities, Depardieu was summoned by the police on Monday morning and is currently in official custody at a police station. He is currently being questioned there about current allegations. It is still unclear whether he will then be released again.
Two women accuse the actor of touching them inappropriately while filming. The alleged incidents involve, on the one hand, an incident during the work on the television film “Le magicien et les siamois” from 2014. On the other hand, Depardieu is said to have been aggressive on the set of the novel adaptation “Les Volets Verts” in 2021.
In the case of the first shoot, an assistant director filed a lawsuit in January 2024 alleging sexual assault on a vulnerable person, according to media reports. It says Depardieu abused his office there. The alleged victim was 24 years old at the time of the incident. Following the lawsuit, the woman also spoke to the local newspaper Le Courrier de l’Ouest and stated that Depardieu had his hands all over her body. She is still mentally haunted by the attack to this day.
Depardieu is accused of a similar incident during the filming of “Les Volets Verts”. He is said to have sexually assaulted a 53-year-old decorator there. She stated that the actor had “brutally grabbed her” and “kneaded her waist, stomach and breasts”. Only his bodyguards ensured that Depardieu let go of her.
The actor has been repeatedly accused of sexual assault on film sets for many years. Among other things, Depardieu has been under investigation since 2020 for the alleged rape of his fellow actress Charlotte Arnould (29). A total of 13 women have accused the woman of sexual assault. Recently, however, the French judiciary rejected a complaint of sexual harassment against the star actor.
For months, a real culture war has been raging in France over the reputation of the acting legend Gérard Depardieu. Even French President Emmanuel Macron (46) intervened in the dispute during an interview with the French television station France 5. He spoke of a “manhunt” for Depardieu: “I detest that.” He is a “big admirer” of the actor who makes his country “proud”.