French actor Gérard Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault, given 18-month suspended sentence

French movie prima Gérard Depardieu was recovered blameworthy of sexually assaulting 2 women connected the acceptable of a movie successful which helium starred, and was fixed an 18-month suspended situation condemnation by a Paris tribunal connected Tuesday.

He was besides fined a full of 29,040 euros (around $32,350), and the tribunal requested that helium beryllium registered successful the nationalist enactment offender database.

The 76-year-old histrion was convicted of having groped a 54-year-old acceptable dresser and a 34-year-old adjunct during the filming of "Les Volets Verts" ("The Green Shutters") successful 2021. The lawsuit was wide seen arsenic a cardinal post-#MeToo trial of however French nine and its movie manufacture code allegations of intersexual misconduct involving salient figures.

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Depardieu, who has denied the accusations, didn't be the proceeding successful Paris. Depardieu’s lawyer said that his lawsuit would entreaty the decision.

"It is the triumph of 2 women, but it is the triumph of each the women beyond this trial," said Carine Durrieu Diebolt, the acceptable dresser's lawyer. "Today we anticipation to spot the extremity of impunity for an creator successful the satellite of cinema. I deliberation that with this determination we tin nary longer accidental that helium is not a intersexual abuser. And today, arsenic the Cannes Film Festival opens, I’d similar the movie satellite to spare a thought for Gérard Depardieu’s victims."

Actor Gerard Depardieu arrives to look proceedings for the alleged intersexual assaults of 2 women connected a movie acceptable successful 2021, connected March 24, 2025 successful Paris.  (Aurelien Morissard/AP Photo)

Accused by much than 20 women

Depardieu’s agelong and storied vocation — helium told the tribunal that he’s made much than 250 films — has turned him into a French movie giant. He was Oscar-nominated successful 1991 for his show arsenic the swordsman and writer Cyrano de Bergerac.

In caller years, the histrion has been accused publically oregon successful ceremonial complaints of misconduct by much than 20 women, but truthful acold lone the intersexual battle lawsuit has proceeded to court. Some different cases were dropped due to the fact that of a deficiency of grounds oregon the statute of limitations.

During the four-day proceedings successful March, Depardieu rejected the accusations, saying he’s "not similar that." He acknowledged that helium had utilized vulgar and sexualized connection connected the movie acceptable and that helium grabbed the acceptable dresser's hips during an argument, but denied that his behaviour was sexual.

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The court, composed of a sheet of 3 judges, concluded that Depardieu’s explanations successful tribunal were "unpersuasive" and "not credible" and stressed some accusers' "constant, reiterated and substantiated declarations."

The tribunal besides said that some plaintiffs person been faced with an "aggressive" defence strategy "based connected comments meant to offend them." The judges truthful considered that Depardieu’s lawyer's comments successful tribunal aggravated the harm to the accusers and justified higher fines.

Depardieu’s lawyer, Jérémie Assous, regretted that the tribunal "considered that questioning the accusations is an further battle ... which means that present the defense, adjacent successful this benignant of trial, is nary longer accepted."

From left, a plaintiff's lawyer Claude Vincent, lawyer Catherine Le Magueresse, a plaintiff, and a plaintiff's lawyer Carine Durrieu Diebolt talk with the media extracurricular a Paris court, aft a verdict was delivered connected accusations that French histrion Gerard Depardieu sexually assaulted 2 women who were moving connected a movie with him successful 2021, successful Paris, Tuesday, May 13, 2025. (AP Photo/Thomas Padilla)

The 2 accusers testified successful court

The acceptable dresser described the alleged assault, saying the histrion pincered her betwixt his legs arsenic she squeezed past him successful a constrictive corridor.

She said helium grabbed her hips, past started "palpating" her down and "in front, around." She ran her hands adjacent her buttocks, hips and pubic country to amusement what she allegedly experienced. She said helium past grabbed her chest.

The pistillate besides testified that Depardieu utilized an obscene look to inquire her to interaction his penis and suggested helium wanted to rape her. She told the tribunal that the actor’s calm and cooperative cognition during the proceedings bore nary resemblance to his behaviour astatine work.

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The different plaintiff, an assistant, said that Depardieu groped her buttocks and her breasts during 3 abstracted incidents connected the movie set.

The Associated Press doesn’t place by sanction radical who accidental they were sexually assaulted unless they consent to beryllium named. Neither pistillate has done truthful successful this case, though 1 has agreed to beryllium pictured.

"I’m precise moved," 1 of the plaintiffs, the acceptable dresser, told reporters aft the verdict. "I’m very, precise overmuch satisfied with the decision, that’s a triumph for me, really, and a large progress, a measurement forward. I consciousness justness was made."

Actor Gérard Depardieu poses for photographers during a photograph telephone for the movie Valley of Love, astatine the 68th planetary movie festival, Cannes, confederate France, Friday, May 22, 2015. An probe was opened pursuing the decease past week of a French histrion who was among those accusing Depardieu of intersexual misconduct, the Paris prosecutor’s bureau said connected Dec. 14, 2023. (AP Photo/Thibault Camus, File)

Some expressed enactment for Depardieu

Some figures successful the French cinema satellite person expressed their enactment for Depardieu. Actors Vincent Perez and Fanny Ardant were among those who took seats connected his broadside of the courtroom.

French media reported past week that Depardieu was shooting a movie directed by Ardant successful the Azores archipelago, successful Portugal.

The histrion whitethorn person to look different ineligible proceedings soon.

In 2018, histrion Charlotte Arnould accused him of raping her astatine his home. That lawsuit is inactive active, and successful August 2024 prosecutors requested that it spell to trial.

For much than a half-century, Depardieu stood arsenic a towering fig successful French cinema, a titan known for his commanding carnal presence, instinct, sensibility and singular versatility.

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A bon vivant who overcame a code impediment and a turbulent youth, Depardieu roseate to prominence successful the 1970s and became 1 of France’s astir prolific and acclaimed actors, portraying a immense array of characters, from volatile outsiders to profoundly introspective figures.

In caller years, his behaviour toward women has travel nether renewed scrutiny, including aft a documentary showed him repeatedly making obscene remarks and gestures during a 2018 travel to North Korea.