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Verdict Expected in Gérard Depardieu’s Landmark Sexual Assault Trial

The Paris court will decide whether the French film icon faces conviction for alleged 2021 assaults on two women during a film shoot.

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)
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Overview

  • Gérard Depardieu, 76, is accused of sexually assaulting a set dresser and an assistant director during the filming of 'Les Volets Verts' in 2021.
  • The trial marks the first #MeToo-era case against a major French cinema figure, with Depardieu denying all charges and calling the allegations false.
  • Lead prosecutor Laurent Guy has recommended an 18-month suspended sentence, citing the actor's lack of remorse and the victims' testimonies.
  • If convicted, Depardieu could face up to five years in prison and a €75,000 fine, as the court prepares to deliver its verdict on May 13, 2025.
  • Public defenses by figures like Brigitte Bardot, who criticized the #MeToo movement, highlight a generational and cultural divide over accountability in the arts.