Gérard Depardieu self-destructs in damning video

A myth shattered as one of the most recognizable faces in French cinema falls from grace. Gérard Depardieu, a celebrated presence on screens for decades, is embroiled in yet another controversy. The recent release of a video featuring the actor making abhorrent and misogynistic remarks compounds multiple accusations of sexual violence, including two formal complaints (one alleging rape). The Depardieu case has prompted discussions about societal complicity with a once respected national figure, while French cinema stays notably silent.

Depardieu’s reputation has long been marred by controversial behavior — tax exile, Russian citizenship, links to President Vladimir Putin and Chechen leader Ramzan Kadirov. But now the spotlight has returned to focus on the actor following the December 7 release of a video with previously unseen footage. The video reveals raw episodes from his 2018 visit to North Korea, the same year that French actress Charlotte Arnould accused him of sexual assault and rape.

“Women love to ride horses. Their clitorises rub against the saddle… They love it… They’re all sluts,” Depardieu is heard saying during a visit to an equestrian center. He then talks in explicitly sexual terms about a 10-year-old-girl on horseback. The video, which sparked widespread outrage, is from an unreleased documentary created by writer and director Yann Moix, also known for making sexist remarks. In another part of the video, Depardieu says he weighs 124 kilos (273 pounds). Then he touches a woman on the shoulder and quickly corrects himself: “Wait, I’m not erect now. With an erection, I weigh 126 [kilos].″ These are two examples from an investigative report by the Complément d’Enquête television program (France 2 channel) that shows the legend of French cinema spouting an unfiltered stream of sexist and offensive comments.

The Complément d’Enquête report also included the testimonies of four women who have accused Depardieu of sexual violence. Actress Hélène Darras filed a separate complaint against Depardieu in September for a sexual assault that occurred during filming in 2007. That news broke the day before the Complément d’Enquête broadcast, and a week later, an investigation into the suicide of actress Emmanuelle Debever was launched. The 60-year-old actress had accused Depardieu of sexual assault in 2019.

French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak reacted to all the news about Depardieu by saying he was a national disgrace, and that the French government would consider revoking Depardieu’s Legion of Honor award, France’s highest civilian distinction. Depardieu received the award in 1996 from former president Jacques Chirac. The actor denied the accusations and offered to voluntarily return his Legion of Honor medal. France has previously revoked the award from Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, American cyclist Lance Armstrong and British designer John Galliano.

The end of a “sacred monster”

Have the latest revelations finally led to a breaking point? The video is especially damning, especially considering the rape and sexual assault allegations. How should the world treat this “sacred monster” — the national treasure with an outsized personality? François Legault, the Prime Minister of Quebec (Canada’s French-speaking province) has already decided to revoke Depardieu’s medal of honor. And Belgium, where the actor lived in 2012 to avoid taxes, has revoked Depardieu’s honorary citizenship.

In the Complément d’Enquête report, Marc Missonnier, president of France’s film producers association, said, “We all bear some responsibility… There was a certain tolerance [towards Depardieu] and that was a mistake.” Actress Anouk Grinberg, also noted, “He’s like that because everyone allows him to be like that.” In another interview, Grinberg criticized the “deafening silence” of the film industry.

Mediapart journalist Marine Turchi reported in April 2023 that 13 women have accused the star of Cyrano de Bergerac (1990) of sexual violence during film shoots between 2004 and 2022. The testimonies from actresses, makeup artists, technicians, extras and interns revealed how many producers dismissed Depardieu’s behavior with comments like, “Oh, that’s just Gérard.” Many of the allegations occurred before the #MeToo feminist movement emerged in late 2017 in the United States, leading to the conviction of powerful film producer Harvey Weinstein.

Turchi notes that it takes time to reverse such tolerance, especially in the film industry. “After my investigation back in April, I was surprised that no organization or film industry figure reacted, except for the Société des Réalisateurs de Films [a French film association] and actress Andréa Bescond.” Turchi said about Depardieu, “He’s still getting support from some of the biggest names in French cinema, who are saying there’s no way he can be a rapist.” Depardieu has appeared in 15 films since the initial charges in 2018, but his profile is noticeably lower. In April, he was sidelined from the publicity tour for The Taste of Small Things, a film in which he stars as a celebrity chef. And in October he withdrew from director Michel Haznavicius’ new film “by mutual agreement.”

In October, Depardieu broke his silence in a column for Le Figaro newspaper. He strongly criticized the “lynching” orchestrated by a “media court” and emphatically stated, “I have never, ever abused a woman.” A French court confirmed his indictment for rape and sexual assault in 2022. In his column, Depardieu acknowledged and apologized for his provocative and “rude” behavior. However, he also denounced the feminist demonstrations that interrupted his summer concerts, where he performed songs by an iconic French singer.

Depardieu’s career is beginning to feel the consequences of his behavior. Director Fabien Onteniente said he would no longer work with Depardieu. “Those aren’t my values — we can’t turn a blind eye to this type of unacceptable behavior,” he told Franceinfo. But the French public TV company France Télévisions recently said that it would continue to buy and air films with Gérard Depardieu. Manuel Alduy, director of international development for France Télévisions, told Libération on December 11: “We don’t censor, but making a new film with Depardieu’s name on it seems really challenging to me.”

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