French Actor Gerard Depardieu Accused of Sexual Assault
Legendary French actor Gerard Depardieu was accused by an actress in her 20s, who says he assaulted her in his Parisian home.
Feb. 23 2021, Published 9:34 p.m. ET
A slew of popular public figures and mainstream celebrities in recent years have had their names associated with sexual abuse and assault claims. Now, French acting legend Gerard Depardieu has found himself fending off allegations of his own.
What allegations are being levied against Gerard Depardieu?
Depardieu is probably most well known by American audiences for his 1990 revival of Cyrano de Bergerac, which was first published in 1897.
News agency Agence France-Press reported that a sexual assault case was re-opened against Depardieu after it was initially dropped in 2019 due to a lack of evidence.
A claim was made from an actress in her 20s, who alleges that Depardieu raped and assaulted her while in his Parisian home. Depardieu's lawyer, Herve Temime, says that the actor "completely rejects the accusations."
The AFP article that broke the story seems to suggest that Depardieu is a friend of the actress's family, and that the two were rehearsing for a play in the actor's home but "there was nothing professional about the encounter."
The 'Cyrano de Bergerac' star's career has afforded him an enviable mansion in Paris.
Years ago, it was reported that the actor was selling his 1820s mansion located in Paris for a permanent move to Belgium. The Parisian mansion was listed for a whopping $65 million, and it's unclear as to whether or not it sold for that much. The reason for the move? Well, at the time, there was a proposed new wealth tax being levied in the country that would greatly affect Depardieu's bank account and quality of life.
So he made a new home and life for himself in Belgium, and even stated that he would give up his French passport and citizenship as "he never used them."
Depardieu has logged in well over 200 acting credits on his resume and has found himself in some hot water over the years. In 2012, he was arrested for drunkenly falling off his scooter. In the same year, he was accused of punching a fellow motorist in the face (an unrelated incident).
After giving up his French citizenship, Vladimir Putin offered Depardieu full Russian citizenship in 2013, a gesture that the French actor graciously accepted.
Depardieu also made headlines for peeing in a plastic water bottle while on a flight from Dublin to Paris. He was told he couldn't use the bathroom while the plane was taking off, but the actor said his urination was an emergency as he suffers from a prostate problem.
In addition to these public scandals, Depardieu has also been known to have a tempestuous romantic life as well. He's been married in the past to Elisabeth Guignot, with whom he had two children with, Guillaume and Julie. Sadly, his son, Guillaume, died at only 37 years old. Depardieu and Elisabeth separated for a time, and during this period, he had a child with model Karine Silla.
After his separation with Elisabeth was finalized, he went on to have a nine-year relationship with Carole Bouquet until around 2005. Then he had a son, Jean, with a woman by the name of Helene Bizot in 2006, but he's officially been with his longtime girlfriend, Clementine Igou, since 2005.
Gerard Depardieu launched his own wine, and reportedly drinks a lot when he decides to.
During the 62nd Cannes Film Festival, Gerard Depardieu promoted his Brut Princess Wine, and it's reported that the man knows a thing or two about alcohol due to his fondness for the stuff. In a shocking interview, the actor confessed to drinking up to 14 bottles a day of the stuff when he's off the wagon, according to Vanity Fair.
We'll be updating this story with further details as they become available.
If you need support, call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-4673 or visit RAINN.org to chat online one-on-one with a support specialist at any time.
