PARIS (AP) 鈥 A Paris court is set to deliver a verdict Tuesday on accusations that French actor G茅rard Depardieu sexually assaulted two women who were working on a film with him in 2021.
The actor, 76, a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant during filming of 鈥淟es Volets Verts鈥 (鈥淭he Green Shutters鈥).
The case is widely seen as a key post- test of how French society and its film industry address allegations of sexual misconduct involving prominent figures.
Depardieu鈥檚 long and storied career 鈥 he told the court that he鈥檚 made more than 250 films 鈥 has turned him into a French movie giant. He was Oscar-nominated in 1991 for his performance as the swordsman and poet Cyrano de Bergerac.
During the four-day trial in March, rejected the accusations, saying he鈥檚 鈥渘ot like that.鈥 He acknowledged that he had used vulgar and sexualized language on the film set and that he during an argument, but denied that his behavior was sexual.
If convicted by the panel of judges, he faces up to five years in prison.
The two accusers testified in court
The set dresser described the alleged assault, saying the actor pincered her between his legs as she squeezed past him in a narrow corridor.
She said he grabbed her hips then started 鈥減alpating鈥 her behind and 鈥渋n front, around.鈥 She ran her hands near her buttocks, hips and pubic area to show what she allegedly experienced. She said he then grabbed her chest.
The woman also testified that Depardieu used an obscene expression to ask her to touch his penis and suggested he wanted to rape her. She told the court that the actor鈥檚 calm and cooperative attitude during the trial bore no resemblance to his behavior at work.
The other plaintiff, an assistant, said that Depardieu groped her buttocks and her breasts during three separate incidents on the film set.
The Associated Press doesn鈥檛 identify by name people who say they were sexually assaulted unless they consent to be named. Neither women has done so in this case.
Prosecutor requested suspended prison sentence
Paris鈥 public prosecutor requested that Depardieu be found guilty and given an 18-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of 20,000 euros ($22,200). The prosecutor denounced the actor's 鈥渢otal denial and failure to question himself.鈥
Some figures in the French cinema world have expressed their support for Depardieu. Actors Vincent Perez and Fanny Ardant were among those who took seats on his side of the courtroom.
Depardieu has publicly or in formal complaints of misconduct by more than 20 women, but so far only the sexual assault case has proceeded to court. Some other cases were dropped because of a lack of evidence or the statute of limitations.
The actor may have to face other legal proceedings soon.
In 2018, actor Charlotte Arnould accused him of raping her at his home. That case is still active, and in August 2024 prosecutors requested that it go to trial.
