Hollywood actor Gerard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on film set
A French court has found actor Gerard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set.
Hollywood actor Gerard Depardieu has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a 2021 film set.
The 76-year-old French actor, who had roles in over 200 movies and wasn't present as the verdict was being read out, was convicted by the Paris Correctional Court of groping two women while filming Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in 2021, reports the Mirror.
Both victims had behind-the-scenes roles on the film set. A 34-year-old assistant producer referred to as Sarah and Amélie, 54, a set designer, said they were intimidated by the actor and were scared to speak out about the assault at the time.
The set designer called Amelie said: "I was petrified." The actor trapped her between his legs when she was trying to get past him in a corridor, Amelie told the court.
He then ran his hands over her body. Amelie said: "He terrified me - he looked like a madman."
The two women said the star sexually assaulted them by grabbing them and running his hands over their bodies after first using vulgar and explicit language towards them to abuse them.
The court heard he made crude sexual advances towards the victims.
Barrister Carine Durrieu Diebolt, who was representing the set designer, said Amelie was typical of victims who were 'afraid to speak out '. Ms Durrieu Diebolt said: "These women are all technicians, doing minor jobs in the film industry.
"There's a risk of reprisals. They are afraid of speaking, of being blacklisted, of being viewed as troublemakers in the workplace."
Depardieu claimed he didn't know what sexual assault was. He had denied the allegations made against him and previously received the support from the likes of French president Emmanuel Macron.
A female lawyer at his trial previously described him as a ' sex attacker ' who 'preys on the weak' when he denied the charges against him.
It comes after French veteran film star Fanny Ardant, spoke out in his defence. Barriest Currieu Diebolt said: "He didn't grope Fanny Ardant. He wouldn't have done that to Fanny Ardant. Mr Depardieu is strong with the weak and weak with the strong."
Durrieu Diebolt labelled the case a 'French Me Too ', and said other women would have pressed charges against the controversial actor if it hadn't been for the French statute of limitations, which prevents cases dating back more than a decade from being prosecuted.
She said: "If not for that, there would have been 20 women instead of two in court. Perhaps you consider that he's a great actor and you like his films, and you don't see him as a sexual attacker, but he is also a man of wealth."
He has previously been accused publicly or via formal complaints of misconduct by over 20 women, but no other case has gone to court. Some were dropped due to lack of evidence.
The actor has been, since December, 16, 2020, indicted over allegations of rape and sexual assault filed in 2018, as part of a separate case. In a report published by French investigative news website Médiapart in April 2023, Depardieu was also accused by 13 women of sexually inappropriate behaviour.
Today, Depardieu was believed to be filming with Ardant in Portugal.
* If you've been the victim of sexual assault, you can access help and resources via www.rapecrisis.org.uk or calling the national telephone helpline on 0808 802 9999
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
2 hours ago
- Daily Record
Sam Thompson quits Soccer Aid after sharing update on ITV's This Morning
Sam Thompson has been forced to withdraw from Soccer Aid after suffering a calf injury during his gruelling 261 mile five-day challenge across the country In an unexpected turn of events, Sam Thompson has pulled out of the highly anticipated Soccer Aid match, scheduled to take place this weekend. Sam had initially been included in the lineup for the star-studded event but made the tough decision to withdraw his participation after a training session yesterday. He is set to make a formal announcement confirming his exit from the match today. Other notable celebrities who will still participate in the match include football legends Wayne Rooney, Gary Neville, and Paul Scholes, alongside renowned Lioness players Toni Duggan, Steph Houghton, and Jill Scott. Additionally, Steve Bartlett, Paddy McGuiness, Sam Quek, Dermot Kennedy, Tom Grennan, and Martin Compston will join the fray. International football sensation and Euro 2020 winner Leonardo Bonucci, as well as Nadia Nadim and dancer Gorka Marquez, will also take to the pitch, reports the Mirror, as well as Sam's ex-girlfriend Zara McDermott's new partner, One Direction's Louis Tomlinson. Despite not being able to participate in the match due to an injury sustained during his charity five-day challenge where he succeeded in raising over £1 million for Unicef, Sam has transitioned into a coaching role. He will continue to play a pivotal part in the Soccer Aid event in Manchester. Sharing an update during his appearance on This Morning on Friday, Sam expressed: "I'm still very sore, still got the torn calf, however I am here at Soccer Aid HQ and it does not get better than this. We've still got the management team of England, we've got Vicky McClure, Tyson Fury, who's stepping into some new shoes and Harry Redknapp... "But also because I'm not going to be able to run around, you've also got me, part of the management team. Come on baby! ... I came here with high hopes and went to see Gary the physio and I can kick a ball from a standing start, but when it comes to like general chaos of playing competitive sport there's just no way. I cant really run properly so yeah. They were very kind and said we still want you to be a part, so I get to go on the dark side with Tyson Fury." Sam has been sharing updates about his injury and recovery journey. "On the first day I did the first marathon and on the last 2k I felt like I'd been shot in the back of the leg and I've completely torn the calf muscle but it's fine I'm strapped up!" he disclosed about his injury at that time. "We were absolutely drenched, and my back was aching, but having Chris there kept me going. I can cope with the bad conditions and the aches and pains, but my leg keeps letting me down. I was told at the last pitstop I could try and run the last few kilometres to test my leg and my recovery, so I cycled out the pitstop determined to make it as far as I could towards the stadium and tried to run into Villa Park. If I have to get up at 4am every morning for the rest of the week to complete this, I will. I'm going to make it to Manchester by Friday. I am so grateful to everyone that has supported me already and donated – that's the one thing keeping going." He kept his followers in the loop about his recovery, posting a picture from his ice bath session. Along with the image, he expressed his determination to contribute, stating: "Trying to get those legs right for soccer aid! ! I WILL play a part." Sam had confided in The Mirror that there was a possibility of him being medically discharged from his endeavour due to the excruciating pain he was experiencing. He recounted the harrowing experience of his injury, revealing: "I was crying into my physio's arms on day one, because I was just so terrified that I was going to be that guy who took this on and got medically discharged. They were talking about doing that but I was like 'no'. I just got into a fast hobble and that just about worked." The challenge Sam undertook required him to transport the Soccer Aid for UNICEF match ball from the previous year's venue, Stamford Bridge in London, to this year's location, Old Trafford in Manchester, covering a distance of 261 miles.
The National
2 hours ago
- The National
Israel cancels deportation of Madleen crew after Iran attack
Adalah, the civil rights organisation representing the activists, said Marco van Rennes (Netherlands), Pascal Maurieras (France) and Yanis Mhamdi (France) remain in custody at Givon Prison after the scheduled deportation flights were cancelled. Israel's airspace has been closed and all commercial flights grounded after Benjamin Netanyahu's government attacked multiple sites in Iran, in strikes which have raised the potential for an all-out war. Israel said it had targeted the country's nuclear programme, killing several commanders, including the leader of Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, Hossein Salami. READ MORE: Tributes pour in as Scotland's first black professor, Sir Geoff Palmer, dies aged 85 Israeli leaders said the attack was necessary to head off what they described as an imminent threat that Iran would build nuclear bombs and they warned of a reprisal which could target civilians in Israel. On Thursday, Israel deported Rima Hassan, a French-Palestinian member of the European parliament, Brazilian activist Thiago Avila, Turkish activist Suayb Ordu, French activist Reva Viard and German activist Yasemin Acar. Adalah said at the time that the remaining crew members would be deported by Israel on Friday. It was previously understood that van Rennes would also be deported on Thursday, but he remains in Israel. It comes after four other activists, including Swedish climate and social justice campaigner Greta Thunberg, French physician Baptiste Andre, Spanish activist Sergio Toribio and French Al-Jazeera journalist Omar Faiad, were deported on Tuesday. The Madleen, co-ordinated by humanitarian organisation Freedom Flotilla Coalition (FFC), set sail for Gaza on June 1 with the aim of delivering much needed aid and breaking Israel's naval blockade. However, Israeli forces intercepted the Madleen while it was in international waters early on Monday morning, seizing the ship and detaining the 12 activists on board. The FFC said in a statement on Friday that the three activists who remain in Israel "may face an extra month" in prison. Adalah added that lawyers are working to arrange visits to the three volunteers who remain in Israel, however it is still unclear whether access will be granted. READ MORE: Israel 'already planning even more brutal' attacks on Iran, Donald Trump claims One of the crew members still detained, Mhamdi, is a journalist working for French independent media outlet Blast. In a statement published on Friday morning – translated from French – the outlet said: "We were hoping for an imminent return of our journalist, imprisoned in Israel since the boarding of the Madleen and the arrest of its crew. It has failed. "Due to the current escalation between Israel and Iran, Israeli authorities have closed the airspace, and the deportation flights scheduled for today have been abruptly cancelled. "Yanis Mhamdi and the last two volunteers, Dutchman Marco van Rennes and Frenchman Pascal Maurieras, remain imprisoned in Givon prison. "Only firm and determined intervention by French diplomacy could resolve the situation and help our lawyers on the ground secure the speedy repatriation of the three detainees."
Edinburgh Live
2 hours ago
- Edinburgh Live
Billionaire friend of Prince William dies after collapsing during polo match
Our community members are treated to special offers, promotions and adverts from us and our partners. You can check out at any time. More info A close friend of Prince William and avid polo player Sunjay Kapur has tragically died following a mid-match incident where he reportedly swallowed a bee, leading to a suspected fatal heart attack. The 53-year-old Indian billionaire and chairman of automotive giant Sona Comstar, collapsed while playing polo in England yesterday. Shortly before his death, the British-educated tycoon expressed his condolences over the distressing Air India crash in Ahmedabad. In a poignant final message, Sunjay said: "Terrible news of the tragic Air India crash in Ahmedabad. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families affected. May they find strength in this difficult hour." Prior to his passing, Sunjay was known for his passion for polo and his high-profile romances. His marriage to Bollywood star Karisma Kapoor ended on a sour note, as she later alleged neglect during their child's illness for a polo match. Reflecting on her relationship with Sunjay, Karisma said: "(Sunjay) decided to carry on, leaving me behind to take care of our sick four-month-old son, just to play a polo match with Prince William. I also realised that he had married me only because I was a famous and successful film star, which would facilitate him to be reported in the press. "It came as a surprise that he always wanted to be known in public and be famous, but since he never did any deed worth mentioning, he was not able to garner any attention." Sunjay was fatally stung by a bee while playing polo, which is thought to have caused anaphylactic shock leading to cardiac arrest, reports the Mirror. Although the official cause of death remains under investigation, initial reports indicate that the sting might have prompted a severe allergic response, causing his abrupt collapse. Sunjay's death has sent shockwaves through elite British polo circles and India's high society. As a familiar figure in Royal polo events, Sunjay was reportedly on good terms with royalty and the high-ranking members of the polo community, participating in exclusive summer matches in the UK. An insider shared the poignant reflection: "He was full of life, laughing, joking, then gone in an instant," when recalling Sunjay's final moments. Coming from a family of prestigious business lineage, Sunjay steered Sona Comstar into a notable player in the global automotive tech industry, extending its reach across India, the USA, Serbia, Mexico, and China. During his time at the business, he propelled the company to prominence as a supplier to the rapidly expanding electric vehicle market. Not limited to his role as Sona Comstar's chairman, Sunjay also occupied significant positions within the automotive industry, including President of the Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA) and Co-Chair of the Confederation of Indian Industry's Manufacturing Council. Sunjay was a pupil of The Doon School, often dubbed India's Eton. He further honed his business acumen at the University of Buckingham and later at Harvard Business School through an executive programme. (Image: UK Press via Getty Images) Despite carving a niche in the business realm, Sunjay was familiar with the glitz of celebrity life, having been married to actress Karisma Kapoor and sharing two children with her, as well as tying the knot with Priya Sachdev, an ex-model turned fashion mogul. As word of his untimely passing spread, the corporate sector began to mourn. Sona Comstar expressed their condolences, stating: "We are deeply saddened by the sudden demise of our Chairman, Mr Sunjay Kapur. He was a visionary leader whose passion, insight, and dedication shaped the identity and success of our company." His peers in the industry have lauded his zeal for innovation and manufacturing prowess. A former colleague remembered him as "a titan of Indian industry, taken far too soon." A friend of the Kapur family shared: "Sunjay was in excellent health. No one could believe what had happened. It's a shocking reminder of how fragile life can be."
