PARS.- Accusations of rape or sexual assault against him actor Grard Depardieu They have ended up tearing apart the French cultural world, divided between those who believe that the time has come to uncover the abuses and those who insist that justice must be allowed to do its job.
The intervention last month by President Emmanuel Macron, who took the star’s side in a television interview, sharpened that division.
The most serious accusations against Depardieu, 75, date back to 2020, but other actresses, film or theater workers and even journalists (including the Spanish Ruth Baza, who interviewed him in 1995) have provided new and serious testimonies.
Added to this is a television report, during a visit by Depardieu to North Korea in 2018, in which the actor repeatedly utters rude and sexist comments on camera.
Public letters of support and criticism
It was a public letter from support to the actor who opened the can of thunder: nearly 60 personalities from the world of cinema, art or literature expressed their admiration for the interpreter of Cyrano, whom they consider ‘probably the greatest actor’, in danger of being cancelled.
The response to that forum published in the newspaper Le Figaro was withering: more than 600 personalities warned that Depardieu does not represent France. And that public letter was followed by another, under the title Goodbye to the old world.
“No, we are not proud of Grard Depardieu,” declared former president and Macron’s predecessor, Franois Hollande.
The Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul Malak, announced a disciplinary process that could lead to the withdrawal of the Legion of Honor from Depardieu, who responded by making that decoration available to the minister.
Macron stated for his part that Malak rushed into this matter, and that justice must take its course.
Both on the side of Depardieu’s defenders and critics, there are many prestigious names: the actress Catherine Deneuve took the side of her colleague, with whom she has shared the screen in several productions, as well as Nathalie Baye, or Fanny Ardant.
On the critical side, young singers like Angle, Pomme, or veteran actresses like Anne Roumanoff.
Grard Depardieu is a predator, accused actress Sophie Marceau, who already denounced the veteran actor’s behavior in 2015.
Some of the signatories of the open letter in favor of Depardieu have withdrawn their support, in the face of enormous public pressure.
Other disagreements
And the scandal has caused other unexpected quarrels.
The French actress Lucie Lucas and the Spanish Victoria Abril filmed a somewhat successful television series together.
Abril, known in France, was one of the signatories of the letter of support for Depardieu, which led Lucas to also accuse her of abusive behavior during filming.
The former Almodvar announced on December 29 a complaint for defamation against Lucas.
“The media, social networks (…) push us to behaviors worthy of the far west“Explained Lucie Lucas on her Instagram account. “I also let myself be dragged, and I messed with Victoria, something I’m not proud of,” she concluded.
Anecdotes of filming or theatrical productions with Depardieu have proliferated in recent months, in which abusive behavior seems to be emerging, but not directed at the actresses with whom he shares the spotlight, but with women in the background, more vulnerable.
“I know that Grard Depardieu is not someone exemplary, he was during the filming of my film, but he is not exemplary all the time” confessed Patrice Leconte, who directed it in 2022 (Maigret).
Leconte was one of those who signed the statement in favor of the legendary actor, and now he claims to regret it.
FUENTE: AFP
