Gérard Depardieu

One of the best actors in France. And one of the most controversial

For decades, he was regarded as a force of nature in film, a brilliant, extroverted, excessively acting star who "devoured the cinema", as one of the many tributes read when Gérard Depardieu celebrated his 70th birthday at the end of 2018. Depardieu has been in the cinema for more than 50 years now, and his impressive variety of roles ranges from the grandiose "Loulou" in Maurice Pialat's film of the same name to the cosy, naive Obelix. At the same time, he has often hit the headlines, and his escapades between wine-swilling bon vivant and defiant angry citizen with Russian citizenship sometimes even obscure the fact that Gérard Depardieu was (and probably still is) one thing above all: one of the best actors in France. However, Depardieu has now lost this status as a star and cinema icon, at the latest after actress Charlotte Arnould pressed charges against Depardieu for rape at the police station in the southern French village of Lambesc on 27 August 2018. He said he was "shocked" and that her accusation "hurt him a lot because it was unfounded". DNA samples that could be used to prove sexual relations were not taken, so it was a case of testimony against testimony. In December 2020, an investigating judge opened a formal investigation into rape and sexual assault. The Paris public prosecutor's office had discontinued the proceedings, which began in 2018, due to a lack of evidence. In August 2020, the actress filed another complaint, which made it necessary to reopen the proceedings. On 10 March 2022, the French judiciary ruled that there was "serious and consistent evidence" that Charlotte Arnould had been raped and upheld the charges against Depardieu. Depardieu, however, testified that Arnould had consented to everything. At the end of April 2024, the Paris public prosecutor's office announced that a trial against Depardieu for allegations of sexual violence against two women would begin in October of the same year. The offences are alleged to have taken place in 2021 on the film set of Jean Becker's drama "Les volets verts". Depardieu denies the allegations. (Source: Wikipedia) On May 2025, Depardieu was found guilty in a trial for sexual violence against two women: "A court in Paris imposed a suspended sentence of 18 months' imprisonment and ordered him to register as a sex offender. The 76-year-old must also undergo psychological treatment, the court ruled. This is the first judgement against Depardieu for sexual violence. The actor himself was not present when the judgement was handed down, as he had recently been in the Azores for filming. The judgement is not yet final. Depardieu's lawyer Jérémie Assous announced after the verdict that he would appeal." (DIE ZEIT from 13.5.2025)

Depardieu has been in the cinema for more than 50 years now, and his impressive variety of roles ranges from the grandiose "Loulou" in Maurice Pialat's film of the same name to the cosy, naive Obelix. At the same time, he has often hit the headlines, and his escapades between wine-swilling bon vivant and defiant angry citizen with Russian citizenship sometimes even obscure the fact that Gérard Depardieu was (and probably still is) one thing above all: one of the best actors in France.

However, Depardieu has now lost this status as a star and cinema icon, at the latest after actress Charlotte Arnould pressed charges against Depardieu for rape at the police station in the southern French village of Lambesc on 27 August 2018. He said he was "shocked" and that her accusation "hurt him a lot because it was unfounded". DNA samples that could be used to prove sexual relations were not taken, so it was a case of testimony against testimony. In December 2020, an investigating judge opened a formal investigation into rape and sexual assault. The Paris public prosecutor's office had discontinued the proceedings, which began in 2018, due to a lack of evidence. In August 2020, the actress filed another complaint, which made it necessary to reopen the proceedings.

On 10 March 2022, the French judiciary ruled that there was "serious and consistent evidence" that Charlotte Arnould had been raped and upheld the charges against Depardieu. Depardieu, however, testified that Arnould had consented to everything. At the end of April 2024, the Paris public prosecutor's office announced that a trial against Depardieu for allegations of sexual violence against two women would begin in October of the same year. The offences are alleged to have taken place in 2021 on the film set of Jean Becker's drama "Les volets verts". Depardieu denies the allegations. (Source: Wikipedia)

On May 2025, Depardieu was found guilty in a trial for sexual violence against two women: "A court in Paris imposed a suspended sentence of 18 months' imprisonment and ordered him to register as a sex offender. The 76-year-old must also undergo psychological treatment, the court ruled. This is the first judgement against Depardieu for sexual violence. The actor himself was not present when the judgement was handed down, as he had recently been in the Azores for filming. The judgement is not yet final. Depardieu's lawyer Jérémie Assous announced after the verdict that he would appeal." (DIE ZEIT from 13.5.2025)

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