Gerard Depardieu writes: 'I am not a rapist or a predator.'
02.10.2023 posted by Admin
French actor Gerard Depardieu, who is facing charges of rape and sexual assault from a 2018 incident, recently penned an open letter asserting that he is innocent of these allegations. Published in Le Figaro newspaper on October 1st, Depardieu indirectly referenced the accusations made by Charlotte Arnould, a friend's child, without explicitly naming her.
In the letter, Depardieu acknowledged that the woman had visited his home twice. During her first visit, she willingly entered his bedroom, but she later claimed she was raped. On her second visit, there was no coercion, violence, or protest; she simply expressed a desire to sing Barbara's songs at the Cirque d’Hiver, to which Depardieu declined. Subsequently, she filed a complaint.
Despite being indicted in December 2020, no significant legal action has been taken against Depardieu. His career remained relatively unscathed as he continued to secure high-profile film projects and perform his music show, "Depardieu Chante Barbara."
However, his reputation suffered a major blow when he faced accusations of sexual misconduct from 13 additional women, including actresses, makeup artists, and production staff. These women shared their testimonies, primarily anonymously, in a damning investigative report published by Mediapart in April. As a result, Depardieu's tour was abruptly terminated.
In response to the report, Depardieu's legal team at Cabinet Temime staunchly denied "all of the accusations that could be subject to criminal law." As of April, none of the 13 women had taken legal action, according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office.
The incidents described in the Mediapart report allegedly took place during the production of 11 films spanning from 2004 to 2022. One former extra claimed that during the filming of "The Box" in 2015, Depardieu had made inappropriate advances, which escalated to aggressive behavior. The shoot was even halted due to the extra's complaint, and the scene was eventually altered to keep her away from Depardieu. Another actor on the set recalled Depardieu's derogatory remarks about the extra.
In his letter, Depardieu expressed his distress over the accusations and denied any wrongdoing, vehemently declaring, "I've never abused a woman. Hurting a woman would be like kicking the womb of my own mother."
Notably, Depardieu made headlines recently for auctioning his art collection in Paris, which fetched €4 million ($4.2 million) in sales, as reported by French media.
In the letter, Depardieu acknowledged that the woman had visited his home twice. During her first visit, she willingly entered his bedroom, but she later claimed she was raped. On her second visit, there was no coercion, violence, or protest; she simply expressed a desire to sing Barbara's songs at the Cirque d’Hiver, to which Depardieu declined. Subsequently, she filed a complaint.
Despite being indicted in December 2020, no significant legal action has been taken against Depardieu. His career remained relatively unscathed as he continued to secure high-profile film projects and perform his music show, "Depardieu Chante Barbara."
However, his reputation suffered a major blow when he faced accusations of sexual misconduct from 13 additional women, including actresses, makeup artists, and production staff. These women shared their testimonies, primarily anonymously, in a damning investigative report published by Mediapart in April. As a result, Depardieu's tour was abruptly terminated.
In response to the report, Depardieu's legal team at Cabinet Temime staunchly denied "all of the accusations that could be subject to criminal law." As of April, none of the 13 women had taken legal action, according to a statement from the Paris prosecutor's office.
The incidents described in the Mediapart report allegedly took place during the production of 11 films spanning from 2004 to 2022. One former extra claimed that during the filming of "The Box" in 2015, Depardieu had made inappropriate advances, which escalated to aggressive behavior. The shoot was even halted due to the extra's complaint, and the scene was eventually altered to keep her away from Depardieu. Another actor on the set recalled Depardieu's derogatory remarks about the extra.
In his letter, Depardieu expressed his distress over the accusations and denied any wrongdoing, vehemently declaring, "I've never abused a woman. Hurting a woman would be like kicking the womb of my own mother."
Notably, Depardieu made headlines recently for auctioning his art collection in Paris, which fetched €4 million ($4.2 million) in sales, as reported by French media.