French actor Gerard Depardieu has denied the rape and sexual assault allegations that were made against him in relation to a 2018 case. According to a report by Variety, the actor penned an open letter in French in the Le Figaro newspaper claiming he’s 'neither a rapist nor a predator.' (Also read: Jennifer Lopez has heated exchange with Ben Affleck inside car, days after his intimate meeting with ex Jennifer Garner)
What Gerard Depardieu said
As per the report by Variety, Gerard Depardieu directed his response to a 2018 lawsuit filed by Charlotte Arnould. She had accused the actor of attacking her on two separate occasions in his home in 2018. This is the first time that the actor has directly addressed the allegations against him. In his letter, the actor claimed that he has never abused a woman in his life. "I finally want to tell you my truth. I have never, ever abused a woman. Hurting a woman would be like kicking my own mother in the stomach." he wrote in the Le Figaro newspaper on October 1.
More details
In the same letter, Gerard further added, without taking any name, "A woman came to my home a first time, lightly, and willingly stepped into (my) bedroom. She says today that she was raped there. She came a second time. There was no constraint, no violence, no protest. She wanted to sing with me the songs by Barbara at the Cirque d’Hiver. I said ‘no.’ She filed a complaint."
Earlier this year, fresh allegations of sexual assault or harassment were directed at the actor by 13 women that allegedly occurred during the shooting of 11 films released between the years 2004 and 2022, according to Mediapart. In response, the actor’s legal representation at Cabinet Temime said that the actor had denied “all of the accusations that could be subject to criminal law.” The bombshell allegations resulted in the cancellation of his tour.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier this year, fresh allegations of sexual assault or harassment were directed at the actor by 13 women that allegedly occurred during the shooting of 11 films released between the years 2004 and 2022, according to Mediapart. In response, the actor’s legal representation at Cabinet Temime said that the actor had denied “all of the accusations that could be subject to criminal law.” The bombshell allegations resulted in the cancellation of his tour.
{{/usCountry}}Gerard has acted in a number of French films including Lou Lou, The Dogs, La Chèvre, The Woman Next Door, Les Compères, Jean de Florette and Camille Claudel among others. The actor was last seen in the French cooking drama Umami which released in French theatres in May.