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2w ago

Brigitte Bardot Defends Gérard Depardieu on Eve of Sexual Assault Verdict

The French film icon calls for leniency as Depardieu awaits the court's decision in a landmark trial involving allegations from a 2021 film set.

French actor Gerard Depardieu arrives on the fourth day of his trial in which he is charged with sexually assaulting two women during a film shoot in 2021, at the Paris criminal court in the Tribunal de Paris courthouse, on March 27, 2025. Depardieu, 76, who has made more than 200 films and television series, has been accused of improper behaviour by around 20 women but this is the first case to come to trial. The two plaintiffs -- Amelie, 54, a set dresser, and Sarah (name changed), 34, an assistant director -- allege sexual assault during the filming in 2021 of "Les Volets Verts" ("The Green Shutters") by director Jean Becker. (Photo by JULIEN DE ROSA / AFP)
French actor Gerard Depardieu appears at the courthouse, as his trial over accusation of sexual assault on two women, which prosecutors say took place during the filming of "Les Volets Verts", continues in Paris, France, March 27, 2025. REUTERS/Abdul Saboor/File Photo
FILE - Actor Gerard Depardieu arrives to face trial for the alleged sexual assaults of two women on a film set in 2021, on March 24, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard, File)
Around 20 women have accused the actor of assault or improper behaviour

Overview

  • Brigitte Bardot, 90, defended Gérard Depardieu and Nicolas Bedos, stating they should be allowed to 'get on with their lives' despite sexual assault allegations and convictions.
  • Depardieu, 76, faces a verdict on May 13 in a Paris court for allegedly groping two women during the filming of 'Les Volets Verts' in 2021, denying all charges.
  • Prosecutor Laurent Guy has recommended an 18-month suspended sentence, marking the first trial among accusations from around 20 women against Depardieu.
  • Bardot, a vocal critic of the #MeToo movement, reiterated her stance, describing it as a 'puritanical witch hunt' and rejecting modern feminism.
  • The case is seen as a pivotal moment for France’s judicial approach to sexual misconduct in the post-#MeToo era, with cultural and generational divides highlighted by Bardot's comments.