Gérard Depardieu affair: complaints, indictment… an update on the ongoing investigations targeting the actor

The 75-year-old actor is now the subject of five complaints. MAXPPP – Francois Glories

New episode in the Gérard Depardieu affair: as the Paris prosecutor's office revealed this Tuesday March 5, the actor is the target of a new investigation for sexual assault after the complaint filed by a decorator on February 23 . This is therefore the fifth complaint targeting the "sacred monster of cinema", who has been in turmoil for several months now following the multiple accusations to which he is the subject. Midi Libre takes stock.

A fifth complaint was filed against Gérard Depardieu, leading this Tuesday March 5 to the opening of a new investigation against the actor for sexual assault. 

Indictment for rape and sexual assault on Charlotte Arnould

As a reminder, the actor has been indicted since December 2020 for rape and sexual assault on actress Charlotte Arnould. She is the first woman to have filed a complaint against Gérard Depardieu at the end of August 2018.

The actress, dancer and pianist accuses Depardieu of two rapes committed at the Parisian home of the 75-year-old actor. 

Closed complaint of Hélène Darras

The actress Hélène Darras had also accused Gérard Depardieu of having sexually assaulted her when she was 26 years old on the set of the film "Disco" in 2007.

The actress said she was shocked by the behavior of Gérard Depardieu. "Already, he smells of alcohol and then, his behavior… He is unmanageable", testified- her in "Additional investigation". "He looks at me as if I were a piece of meat. Me, I have an ultra-tight dress, he pulls me closer to him by the waist, then he runs his hand over my hips, over my buttocks.

His complaint was dismissed at the end of December 2023 for limitation.

Complaint from a Spanish journalist and writer

The journalist and writer Ruth Baza also filed a complaint in Spain against the actor for rape, facts dating back to 1995 in Paris. 

"When we started the interview, we were both standing, and somehow, all of a sudden, he takes me in his arms. He starts kissing me all over my face. He kissed me on the mouth and I couldn't move, Ruth Baza told l&rsquo ;AFP.

Ruth Baza discusses "sexual assault" since in Spain, this offense also includes rape according to the Penal Code, but the complaint has little chance of success because these facts are a priori prescribed.

Complaint from a filming assistant

Another investigation had already been opened against him following a fourth complaint filed on January 9 for similar facts in 2014 by a filming assistant who wished to remain anonymous. The events allegedly took place on the set of the film “The Magician and the Siamese" when she was 24. An investigation is underway.

Complaint from a decorator

Finally, the most recent complaint is the one mentioned at the beginning of the article, filed on February 23 by a 53-year-old decorator. 

The latter accuses the actor of sexual assault, sexual harassment and sexist outrage on the set of the film "The Green Shutters" directed by Jean Becker. An investigation was opened on March 5.

Many accusations

Gérard Derpardieu is also the subject of accusations from at least 13 other women who claim in an investigation published in April 2023 by & nbsp;Mediapart "having suffered inappropriate sexual gestures or comments from the famous actor, of different severity, on the filming of eleven films or series released between 2004 and 2022 or in external locations.