Renowned French actor Gerard Depardieu has been sentenced to 18 months in prison after being convicted of sexually assaulting two women on the set of a 2021 film.

The decision came about from a Paris court on Tuesday, following a four-day trial.

Advertisement

The case dates back to the production of ‘The Green Shutters’, where a set decorator and an assistant director came forward with complaints against the veteran actor. Both women alleged inappropriate and unwanted touching during the shoot.

The assistant director told the court that Gerard Depardieu had touched her buttocks in a public area and then went on to grope her breasts while on set. She added that he later touched her buttocks again. Depardieu, however, denied the claims, telling the court that any contact was accidental.

“I may have grazed her with my back in the corridor, but I didn’t touch her intentionally,” he said, according to French daily ‘Le Monde’.

The prosecution, led by Laurent Guy, stressed that the women’s testimonies remained consistent throughout the proceedings, while Depardieu’s defense had shifted over time.

Also Read: Cannes festival opens in style as Robert De Niro receives career tribute

“We have three eyewitnesses who confirm the actions taken against Amelie at the key moment. That alone constitutes sexual assault,” Guy told the court, as cited by Deadline.

Although prosecutors had requested a suspended sentence—meaning Depardieu would not serve time behind bars unless he reoffended—the court ruled in favor of a full 18-month prison term.

In addition to jail time, prosecutors had also asked that Depardieu pay a fine, undergo psychological counseling, and placed on France’s sex offender registry.

This conviction adds to an already dark chapter in the actor’s career. Depardieu has also been under formal investigation since December 2020 in a separate case involving actress Charlotte Arnould, who accused him of rape and sexual assault stemming from incidents in 2018. He has denied those allegations as well.