The Paris police have arrested the well-known French actor Gérard Depardieu and questioned him about allegations of sexual violence, as the French media “Le Parisien” reports. Two women have filed a complaint that the incidents are said to have occurred during film productions in 2014 and 2021.
Background of the allegations
A 53-year-old set designer claims the actor touched and commented on her inappropriately during the filming of the film “Les Volets verts” in 2021. Another accusation came from 2014, when a then 24-year-old assistant had similar experiences during a short film project by Jean-Pierre Mocky. She reported that Depardieu physically harassed her, groped her and made inappropriate comments. The French judiciary has already investigated him for similar allegations in the past. A total of 20 cases of sexual assault were reported. However, Depardieu himself is still repeatedly defended, for example by French President Emanuell Macron, who claims that the actor makes the country proud with his art. He described the current allegations as part of a “manhunt” and expressed his admiration for Depardieu, whose career has shaped French cinema.