Gérard Depardieu Awaits Verdict in Sexual Assault Trial Over 2021 Film Set Allegations

French film icon Gérard Depardieu is expected to learn his fate today as a court prepares to deliver its verdict in a high-profile sexual assault trial that has rocked the entertainment industry in France.

The 76-year-old actor, once celebrated as a titan of French cinema, could face an 18-month suspended prison sentence, a €20,000 fine, and mandatory registration as a sex offender if convicted. The charges stem from alleged groping incidents involving two women on the set of the 2021 film Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in Paris—accusations that Depardieu vehemently denies.

During the trial, which took place six weeks ago, two women gave detailed testimony:

• A set decorator claimed Depardieu grabbed her by the hips and pinned her between his legs following a disagreement.
• An assistant director alleged that the actor touched her breasts and buttocks through her clothes on three separate occasions.

In his closing arguments on 27 March, prosecutor Laurent Guy emphasized the importance of holding even public figures accountable:
“It’s perfectly possible to be an excellent actor and a great father — and still commit a crime. You are not here to pass judgment on French cinema. You are here to judge Gérard Depardieu, just as you would any other citizen.”

Claude Vincent, lawyer for one of the plaintiffs, labeled Depardieu a “misogynist” and “a case-study in sexism.” Meanwhile, the defense, led by Jérémie Assous, called for full acquittal, accusing the plaintiffs’ lawyers of acting more like activists than legal professionals:
“They cannot bear that there should even be a defence. They think any defence is a supplementary assault.”

Depardieu, who has not acted publicly in three years due to mounting sexual misconduct allegations, claimed he has been “dragged through the mud by lies and insults.”
“A trial can be a very special experience for an actor. Seeing all this anger, the police, the press. It’s like being in a science fiction film, except it’s not science fiction. It’s life,” he told the court.

He also jokingly remarked that observing the courtroom process might inspire a future role:
“These lessons may be an inspiration for me one day if I get to play a lawyer.”

Despite his hiatus, reports earlier this month revealed that Depardieu has resumed filming—playing a magician on a mysterious island in a new project directed by longtime friend Fanny Ardant, currently being shot in the Azores.

This is the first time Depardieu has stood trial over sexual assault allegations, though several other women have made similar claims in the media, and a separate rape case remains under legal review.

The court’s verdict is expected later today.