Gérard Depardieu found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on film set. Landmark ruling boosts France’s #MeToo movement.
Gérard Depardieu, that big-name French actor everyone knows from movies like Cyrano de Bergerac and those Obélix comedies, just got hit with some serious trouble.
He’s been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women. Yeah, it’s a shocker—Depardieu’s been a giant in French films for ages, with over 200 movies under his belt. But this conviction? It’s a major dent in his reputation.
So, what happened? Back in 2021, while shooting a movie called Les Volets Verts, two women on set said Depardieu crossed the line. One was a 54-year-old set dresser who said he trapped her and started saying creepy stuff while groping her.
The other, a 34-year-old assistant director, said he kept touching her in ways she didn’t want, even though she was just trying to do her job. Both felt totally powerless, and their stories were strong enough to convince the court.
The Paris court didn’t mess around—they gave Depardieu an 18-month suspended sentence. That means he’s not in jail yet, but if he screws up again, he’s in big trouble.
Plus, they put him on France’s sex offender list, which is a huge deal for a guy like him. His lawyer’s already saying they’ll fight it with an appeal, but for now, the ruling sticks.
This whole thing is a massive moment for France’s #MeToo movement. Over in the U.S., we’ve seen famous people go down fast for this kind of stuff, but France has been slower to act.
People there sometimes brush off these accusations, especially when it’s a beloved star like Depardieu. They’ve got this habit of treating artists like they’re untouchable.
But this time? The court said, “Nope, you’re accountable.” The victims’ lawyer even called it “the end of letting movie stars get away with everything.”
Depardieu’s no stranger to drama—he’s always been loud and a bit wild, stirring up trouble with his opinions. But this is different. This isn’t just talk; it’s a legal smackdown that’s got fans and filmmakers reeling.
People in France are split—some can’t believe their national hero messed up this bad, while others are like, “How did this go on for so long?” There’s even talk about making movie sets safer so this doesn’t happen again.
At the end of the day, it’s a wake-up call. No matter how famous you are, the law can still catch up. One person put it perfectly: “The French film world needs to stop shielding creeps.”
These women who spoke up? They’re brave, and they’ve kicked off a conversation that’s been a long time coming. It’s a step toward fairness, but there’s still work to do.
Source The Guardian
