The trial of French actor Gérard Depardieu, accused of sexually assaulting two women on a 2021 film set, began on Monday after a five-month delay due to his poor health.
The 76-year-old actor arrived in court wearing a black suit, smiling as he entered with his lawyer.
He faces charges of assaulting the women during the filming of “Les Volets Verts,” or “The Green Shutters.” According to the Paris prosecutor’s office, Depardieu is accused of using “violence, coercion, surprise, or threat” in the alleged assaults, which involved trapping the victims and groping them.
Depardieu denies any wrongdoing. His lawyer, Jérémie Assous, told CNN that his client “categorically disputes the facts and says the accusations are all false.”
Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, a lawyer for one of the women, said her client seeks “a recognition of the facts” despite Depardieu’s denials. She stated that the women are awaiting “judicial recognition, an official acknowledgement that they were victims of sexual assaults.”
With over 240 films, Depardieu is one of France’s most renowned actors, known internationally for roles in films like “Green Card,” “The Man in the Iron Mask,” and “Life of Pi.” He was also nominated for an Oscar in 1991 for “Cyrano de Bergerac.”
In a separate case, he faces rape and sexual assault charges from actress Charlotte Arnould, allegedly committed in August 2018. Depardieu denies all accusations. “Never, absolutely never, have I abused a woman,” he wrote in a 2023 letter published in Le Figaro.
French President Emmanuel Macron faced criticism for describing Depardieu’s situation as a “manhunt” and praising him as “an immense actor” who “makes France proud.”
Former President François Hollande countered, “No, we are not proud of Gérard Depardieu! … the President should have spoken about the women.”
Macron later clarified his remarks, stating he “never defended an aggressor against its victims” but that the presumption of innocence should be respected.
Investigative journalist Marine Turchi interviewed over 20 women who allege sexual harassment or assault by Depardieu, with some claims dating back to 1985. Depardieu denies all claims.
Turchi told CNN that the film industry can be a place of “abuses of power,” with a strong hierarchy that can make speaking up difficult.
Depardieu also faces investigations for “tax fraud, aggravated tax fraud, and money laundering.” Investigators suspect his Belgian tax domicile is fictitious.
