Plaintiffs’ lawyers call actor G茅rard Depardieu a sexual predator and a misogynist as trial closes
Mar 27, 2025, 4:07 AM
Actor Gerard Depardieu arrives at his trial for the alleged sexual assaults of two women on a film set in 2021, Thursday, March 27, 2025 in Paris. (AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS
(AP Photo/Aurelien Morissard)
PARIS (AP) 鈥� The plaintiffs’ lawyers called French actor G茅rard Depardieu a sexual predator and a 鈥渕isogynist鈥� Thursday in their final plea at a Paris trial over accusations that he sexually assaulted two women who were working on a film with him.
The actor, 76, is accused of having groped a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant during filming of the movie 鈥淟es Volets Verts鈥� (鈥淭he Green Shutters鈥�) in 2021. He has denied the accusations.
He faces up to 5 years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($81,000) if convicted. The verdict is expected at a later date.
The set dresser鈥檚 lawyer, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, called Depardieu a sexual predator who committed misconduct for decades towards 鈥渓ittle people鈥� in the cinema world.
:Maybe you think he鈥檚 a great actor and you love his films,” she said. “Depardieu is also a sexual predator.鈥�
His status as a world-renowned actor made him both an artistic and an economic power in the film industry, in contrast with the plaintiffs who risked being blacklisted if they speak up, Durrieu Diebolt said, denouncing what she called a 鈥渟ystem of impunity.鈥�
鈥淢. Depardieu, when he鈥檚 touching women鈥檚 bodies, he鈥檚 exercising his power over them,鈥� she said.
On Tuesday, Depardieu acknowledged that he had used vulgar and sexualized language with the set dresser who accused him of sexual assault. He said he grabbed her hips during an argument, but denied that his behavior was sexual.
The lawyer for the other plaintiff, Claude Vincent, started her plea with a minutes-long list of obscene words and other vulgar expressions rarely heard in a courtroom, saying: 鈥淭hat鈥檚 how Gerard Depardieu behaves on a film set, that the atmosphere he鈥檚 imposing around him.鈥�
鈥淣o, you can鈥檛 separate the man from the artist,鈥� she said. “He is G茅rard Depardieu, a misogynist amid misogynists.鈥�
The plaintiff, a film assistant, said Depardieu groped her buttocks and her breasts during three separate incidents on the film set.
Depardieu has rejected the accusations since the beginning of the trial Monday, saying he鈥檚 鈥渘ot like that.鈥�
The actor is being tried by a panel of three judges, not a jury, which is normal for such cases. The judges don鈥檛 issue their verdict straight away but generally deliberate for weeks or months.
