French Actor Gérard Depardieu Convicted of Sexual Assault on Two Women During 2021 Film Shoot
- Victor Nwoko
- May 13
- 3 min read
French actor Gérard Depardieu has been convicted of sexually assaulting two women during the production of the 2021 film Les Volets Verts ("The Green Shutters") in Paris. The 76-year-old film icon was handed an 18-month suspended prison sentence and will be added to France’s sex offender registry following the court's ruling.
Depardieu, who did not attend the verdict hearing, was found guilty of assaulting a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant director in separate incidents on the same film set. His lawyer, Jérémie Assous, confirmed that an appeal will be filed against the conviction.
The court heard harrowing testimony from both women. The set dresser, identified as Amélie, said Depardieu forcibly trapped her between his thighs, grabbed her buttocks, pubis, and chest, and made vulgar, sexually aggressive remarks while she was working. She described the encounter as terrifying and marked by what she believed was a sadistic enjoyment of her fear. "He really terrified me, and that amused him," she told the court.
Amélie recounted how Depardieu approached her while she was coordinating set props, made explicit sexual remarks, and physically restrained her. She described his demeanor as frenzied and aggressive, saying she felt the actor derived pleasure from intimidating her.
The second victim, an assistant director who accompanied Depardieu from his dressing room to the set, said he groped her on three separate occasions. She testified that the actor grabbed her breasts and buttocks despite her protests, and said she felt petrified during each encounter. She added that Depardieu spoke obsessively about sex on set and regularly made graphic remarks to crew members.
Despite his denial of all charges, the court concluded that the testimonies and supporting evidence established a clear pattern of sexual misconduct. Depardieu had claimed that the allegations were part of a media-fueled campaign to destroy his reputation and criticized the #MeToo movement, calling it a form of “terror.”
The verdict comes amid mounting pressure on the French film industry to confront sexual abuse and misconduct. Depardieu is the most prominent figure in French cinema to be convicted of sexual assault since the rise of the #MeToo movement. His trial, coinciding with the opening of the Cannes Film Festival, underscores a growing demand for accountability in the entertainment sector.
Amélie expressed a sense of justice following the ruling, stating, “For me, this is a victory. Justice has been done.” Her attorney, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, emphasized the importance of the conviction: “No one can now say Gérard Depardieu is not a sexual predator.”
The Paris prosecutor's office has also requested that Depardieu face an additional trial on charges of rape and sexual assault stemming from a separate complaint by actress Charlotte Arnould. A court date has yet to be set. Depardieu previously denied Arnould's allegations, asserting that any encounter between them was consensual.
Depardieu remains one of the most prolific figures in European cinema, with over 200 credits to his name. However, his conviction marks a significant fall from grace and a potential turning point for accountability in France’s film industry.
Comments