Paris,France-September 3,2025
In a development that marks a significant moment for the #MeToo movement in France, actor Gérard Depardieu is set to stand trial on sexual assault and rape charges in a case that has sent shockwaves through the country’s film industry. A Paris judge has ordered the trial to proceed following a years-long investigation into allegations made by actress Charlotte Arnould, with the legal proceedings adding another chapter to a series of accusations and a recent criminal conviction against the cinema icon.
The trial order, dated August 28, comes in the wake of a separate case in which Depardieu was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set and received an 18-month suspended sentence in May of this year. While Depardieu’s lawyer has confirmed he will appeal that conviction, the latest ruling means the 76-year-old actor will now face a new trial for the more serious charges brought by Arnould, who was 22 at the time of the alleged incidents.
According to legal sources, the charges stem from two separate alleged incidents of rape and sexual assault by digital penetration that took place at Depardieu’s Paris home in August 2018. The case was initially dropped in 2019 but was reopened a year later after Arnould, a former family friend of Depardieu’s, came forward publicly with her accusations. In a post on Instagram, Arnould expressed her relief after learning of the judge’s decision, writing that the order “restores a form of judicial truth.”
The case against Depardieu has become a flashpoint for a broader societal debate in France about the long-standing tolerance of inappropriate behavior in the country’s artistic and political circles. For decades, Depardieu, an actor with over 200 films to his name, enjoyed a reputation as a larger-than-life figure whose antics were often dismissed as part of his eccentric persona. However, in recent years, a growing number of women have come forward with public accusations of misconduct, and a TV documentary revealed the actor making a series of obscene and misogynistic remarks during a trip to North Korea in 2018.
Depardieu, who has consistently denied all wrongdoing, has faced a legal reckoning for his behavior. In the separate case concluded earlier this year, a Paris court convicted him of sexually assaulting a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant director during the filming of Les Volets Verts (“The Green Shutters”) in 2021. The judge in that case also ordered his name to be added to France’s national sex offender registry.
While a trial date for the latest charges has not yet been set, the decision to proceed is being hailed as a major victory for Arnould and her legal team. It follows a request from prosecutors and represents a crucial step in a legal process that has been under intense public and media scrutiny. For many, the pending trial is not just about one man’s actions but about holding power to account and pushing for lasting change in a cultural landscape long accused of being slow to take women’s claims of abuse seriously.
Headline Points
* Trial Ordered: A Paris judge has ordered French actor Gérard Depardieu to stand trial for alleged rape and sexual assault.
* Accuser’s Claims: The charges are based on accusations from actress Charlotte Arnould, who alleges two separate assaults in August 2018.
* Legal Scrutiny Continues: The trial follows a separate case in which Depardieu was recently convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set and placed on France’s sex offender registry.
* A Broader Debate: The case has become a symbol of France’s ongoing reckoning with the #MeToo movement and the cultural protection of powerful men.
* Denied Allegations: Depardieu has consistently denied all of the allegations against him.
