French prosecutors request trial for actor Depardieu for sexual assault

By Nur Asena Erturk

French prosecutors requested a trial for famous actor Gerard Depardieu for sexual assault, local media reported Thursday.

The prosecutors officially requested on Aug. 14 a trial for Depardieu before the criminal court for rape and sexual aggression on actress Charlotte Arnould between Aug. 7-13, 2018.

The examining magistrate will decide whether Depardieu, 75, should appear before the court.

Arnould is the first woman to file a complaint against Depardieu.

Depardieu has been investigated for sexual assault since 2020.

Perhaps best known for his roles in the movie Cyrano de Bergerac and the Asterix series, the actor has denied all the accusations of rape and sexual assault.

Over a dozen women have accused Depardieu of sexual assault during the shooting of 11 movies over the last 18 years, according to independent French media outlet Mediapart.

In December 2023, feminist groups in France denounced President Emmanuel Macron’s support for Depardieu, saying his statements were validating "rape culture at the highest level of the state.”

Earlier that month, another group of French performers and cultural figures, including singer Carla Bruni, published a column in the daily Le Figaro, calling for an end to efforts to "lynch" Depardieu. They praised him as "the last giant of cinema," and claimed that "art is being targeted."