Gerard Depardieu Found Guilty of Sexual Assault on Film Set

Famed French actor Gerard Depardieu has been convicted of sexually assaulting two women during a 2021 film shoot, receiving an 18-month suspended prison sentence from a Paris court on Tuesday.

The ruling marks one of the most high-profile #MeToo-related convictions in France. Depardieu, 75, had repeatedly denied the allegations, but Judge Thierry Donard found his defense unconvincing and noted inconsistencies in his testimony.

One of the victims, identified as Amelie K, a set decorator, told the court that Depardieu trapped her between his legs, groped her body, and made explicit remarks. “He touched everything, including my breasts. I was terrified—he was laughing,” she recounted.

The court cited supporting testimony from two witnesses who corroborated her claims, while Depardieu’s own accounts were described as contradictory. His lawyer confirmed the actor will appeal the conviction.

While the #MeToo movement has faced resistance in France compared to countries like the U.S., this verdict is seen as a potential turning point in the public and judicial approach to sexual assault allegations in the French film industry.

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