- Title: French actor Depardieu arrives in court for last day of sexual assault trial
- Date: 27th March 2025
- Summary: PARIS, FRANCE (MARCH 27, 2025) (REUTERS) FRENCH ACTOR, GERARD DEPARDIEU, ARRIVING AND ENTERING COURT HOUSE PLAINTIFF AMELIE K, ARRIVING AND ENTERING COURT HOUSE FRENCH ACTRESS, ANOUK GRINBERG, WHO CAME IN SUPPORT OF PLAINTIFFS, ENTERING COURT HOUSE VARIOUS OF ACTRESS, CHARLOTTE ARNOULD POLICE OFFICERS AND PHOTOGRAPHERS IN FRONT OF COURT HOUSE ENTRANCE ACTOR VINCENT PEREZ A
- Embargoed:
- Keywords: #MeToo movement Amelie K Anouk Grinberg Charlotte Arnould Depardieu France cinema plaintiff sexual assault trial
- Location: PARIS, FRANCE
- City: PARIS, FRANCE
- Country: France
- Topics: Crime/Law/Justice,Europe,Judicial Process/Court Cases/Court Decisions
- Reuters ID: LVA001202427032025RP1
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Actor Gerard Depardieu arrived in court in Paris on Thursday (March 27) for the fourth and last day of his trial over alleged sexual assaults on a film set, a case placing one of France's best-known movie stars at the heart of the country's broader reckoning over sexual violence.
On Wednesday (March 26) Depardieu told the court that he did not consider placing a hand on a person's buttocks sexual assault and that some women were too easily shocked, but denied assault.
A towering figure of French cinema, Depardieu has faced a growing number of sexual assault allegations in recent years. Depardieu, 76, has consistently denied any wrongdoing, and this is the first case for which he would be standing trial.
During the first two days of the trial, which started on Monday, Depardieu criticised the #MeToo movement. He described it on Tuesday as "a form of hysteria."
Earlier in the trial, Depardieu admitted grabbing plaintiff, Amelie K, by the hips, but denied it was assault.
If found guilty, Depardieu could face a sentence of up to five years in jail and a 75,000-euro ($81,000) fine.
Depardieu is also facing rape allegations in a separate case.
Actress Charlotte Arnould, who has accused him of raping her in 2018 when she was 22, was among those present to follow the trial's proceedings.
The Paris prosecutor's office last year said Depardieu should face trial over Arnould's complaint. Depardieu has denied any wrongdoing. It is now up to an investigative judge to say if there will be a trial over those allegations.
(Production: Katya Skvortsova, Marta Fiorin, Cecile Mantovani) - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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