French actor Gérard Depardieu has been ordered to stand trial over allegations of rape and sexual assault from 2018. His accuser, actor Charlotte Arnould, expressed her relief that the case is moving forward, seven years after she filed a complaint.
Depardieu, now 76, has denied the allegations, maintaining that his relationship with Arnould was consensual. Earlier this year, he was convicted of sexually assaulting two members of a film production crew four years ago, resulting in him being placed on a sex offender list without serving jail time.
“Seven years later, seven years of horror and hell... I’m relieved,” Arnould shared in a social media post about the ruling.
Arnould's lawyer confirmed the trial will focus on two alleged assaults in August 2018 at Depardieu's home in Paris. “My client and I are relieved and confident. This is a form of judicial truth for Charlotte while she awaits the criminal trial,” the lawyer stated.
While the trial date remains unannounced, Depardieu has previously refuted the allegations in a letter to Le Figaro, insisting he has “never abused a woman,” and asserting that there was “never any coercion, violence, or protest” between him and Arnould.
The case had previously been dismissed due to insufficient evidence, but following Arnould's civil complaint, a formal investigation was launched in 2020.
