A trial involving French actor Gérard Depardieu for sexual assault is set to begin in Paris on Monday afternoon.
Depardieu is accused of assaulting two women on the set of the film Les volets verts in 2021. The 76-year-old actor denies the allegations.
The first woman, a set decorator, claims Depardieu held her in a hallway, touched her breasts, buttocks, and genitals, and made obscene remarks. She filed a lawsuit in February 2024 for assault, intimidation, and sexist insults.
The second woman, an assistant director, also accuses Depardieu of indecent touching and alleged prior stalking. She reported him to the authorities in March 2024.
The trial was previously postponed for health reasons. This time, Depardieu had to present medical reports.
The court sessions are limited to six hours per day with 15-minute breaks. Depardieu has diabetes and underwent a quadruple bypass surgery over 25 years ago.
If found guilty, the actor faces a maximum prison sentence of five years. Depardieu, a major star in French cinema, is accused of sexual misconduct by around twenty women in total.
Depardieu was made an honorary citizen of Belgium after his decision to quit his native homeland in 2012 over a proposed supertax on the very rich.
