French Actor Gerard Depardieu Accused By Young Actress Of Rape And Sexual Assault

Further investigation awaits actor Gérard Depardieu in France, after a 22-year-old actress accused the French artiste of rape and sexual assault in the summer of 2018.

Depardieu’s lawyer Herve Temime has, however, outrightly refuted claims levied against his celebrity client and cited presumption of innocence of this case owing to which it was initially dropped last June. The case was recently reopened by the judiciary after the actress’s accusations prompted a “preliminary investigation” according to Paris public prosecutor’s office. Cases are reopened in the French judicial system if officials find substantial content to pursue the matter.

“I regret that this investigation was not kept secret as usual,” Temime added, in one of his recent statements to the media, expressing his displeasure in the manner in which the controversy had spiraled out of control in full public view.

Temime further enthused, to CNN, that the accusations felt like a bolt from the blue when it first surfaced in 2018, and that the actor “totally denies any assault, any rape and any criminal act.” Temime averred that the allegations levied against Depardieu were reported: “the opposite” of the Oscar-nominee actor’s personality. “I have strong elements to show that no offense took place,” added Temime in his client’s defense, as cited in a report on MSN News.

While the incident throws open several questions, the French actor’s lawyer had confirmed in the past that the two were known to each other. But, Temime denied his client having met her during the dates mentioned in the complaint.

The complaint was filed on Aug. 27 and went to the Paris prosecutor on Aug. 29. The Oscar nominee was granted Russian citizenship by Vladimir Putin in 2013.