Acclaimed French actor, Gérard Depardieu is facing fresh allegations of sexually inappropriate behaviour by 13 women.
The accusations come after a months-long investigation into the French film star, known for his appearances in Paris, je t’aime and Jean de Florette.
In an investigative report published by Mediapart on Wednesday, 13 female actors, make-up artists and production staff accused the Green Card actor of unwanted touching and ‘sexually inappropriate jests’ on film and TV sets between 2004 and 2022.
The published dossier outlines how the 74-year-old regularly preyed on his victims during recent productions including Marseille, the Netflix crime drama.
Depardieu, who made his name in hits such as Green Card and The Last Metro, vehemently rejects the claims, with a legal spokesman saying: ‘He formally denies all the charges likely to fall under criminal law.’
It follows French actress Charlotte Arnould, 33, accusing Depardieu of raping her at his Paris mansion.
Ms. Arnould renounced her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021, to protest at how long the investigation is taking, following Depardieu being charged with rape and sexual assault.
There is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a sex act on Arnould in August 2018, but the actor said their relationship was consensual. The new Mediapart report reads: ‘Besides the complaint from Charlotte Arnould, we have gathered 13 accounts from women who say they were subjected to sexually inappropriate gestures or proposals by the famous actor, of differing levels of gravity.’
‘Across the different accounts, the same scene seemed to repeat itself. They are actresses, make-up artists and crew members.
‘They attest to have been subjected to a hand on their buttock, between the legs, or on their thighs or stomach – as well as obscene sexual propositions, and sometimes insistent groaning.’
None of the new 13 reports – some of which have been made anonymously are currently formal criminal complaints.
It alleged that the incidents were often brushed off with laughter, and the words: ‘Oh, OK, it’s just Gérard!’
The publication suggests that many victims feared a complaint might lead to a backlash which could see them never working again.
