French cinema icon Gérard Depardieu is set to stand trial in Paris on charges of rape and sexual assault, marking a dramatic chapter in a saga that has gripped France’s film industry and fueled wider conversations about accountability and power. The allegations, brought by actress Charlotte Arnould, date back to 2018 and have placed Depardieu — once celebrated as a cultural titan — at the center of a reckoning over sexual violence in the arts.
The Paris prosecutor’s office confirmed on September 2, 2025, that an investigating judge had ruled Depardieu, 76, must face a criminal court. The charges, which include rape by digital penetration and sexual assault, stem from two alleged incidents at Depardieu’s Paris home on August 7 and 13, 2018, when Arnould was 22 and Depardieu was 69. According to AP and BBC, Arnould was a family acquaintance who had sought advice as she transitioned from ballet to acting.
Arnould, now 29, expressed her relief in a candid Instagram post: "I think I’m having trouble realizing how huge this is. I’m relieved." She described the judge’s indictment order as restoring a "form of judicial truth" after what she called "seven years of horror and hell." Her lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, echoed that sentiment, telling Franceinfo that she and Arnould felt "relieved and confident," and called the decision a "moment of judicial truth." The trial date has yet to be set.
Depardieu, meanwhile, has consistently denied wrongdoing. In a 2023 letter published in Le Figaro, he wrote, "Never, ever, have I abused a woman. There was never any coercion, violence, or protest between us." He maintains that his relationship with Arnould was consensual, a stance he has repeated in court and to the press. During the pre-trial phase, Depardieu’s legal team tried to have the charges dropped in 2022, calling the accusations baseless. However, the Paris prosecutor stated there was "serious and confirmed evidence that justifies Gérard Depardieu to remain charged," as reported by France 24.
The case has not been straightforward. Initially, prosecutors dropped the investigation in 2019 for insufficient evidence. Arnould then invoked a legal measure to have it reopened in 2020, leading to a renewed judicial investigation and, ultimately, the current trial order. According to The New York Times, Arnould has explained that her return to Depardieu’s home after the first alleged assault was not a sign of consent but an attempt to confront him.
The trial comes on the heels of another high-profile conviction for Depardieu. In May 2025, he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women on the set of the 2021 film Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters). The court sentenced him to an 18-month suspended prison term and ordered his name to be added to the national sex offender database. Prosecutors also requested a fine and mandated psychological treatment. Arnould attended that trial, and observed as Depardieu’s lawyer called her a liar in open court — a move she later described on Instagram as "outrageous and absolutely unnecessary to uncover the truth." Depardieu is appealing the verdict.
The Green Shutters case was widely seen as a test for France’s film industry in the wake of the #MeToo movement. According to Variety, the two women assaulted on set were among 13 who reported inappropriate behavior by Depardieu in a 2023 Mediapart investigation. Yet, despite more than 20 women coming forward with public or formal complaints of misconduct against Depardieu over the years, only these two cases have reached the courts. Many others were dropped due to insufficient evidence or because the statute of limitations had expired.
Depardieu’s career, spanning over 250 films, has made him one of France’s most recognizable actors. He was nominated for an Oscar in 1991 for his performance in Cyrano de Bergerac and has been a fixture in French culture since the 1970s. But recent years have seen his reputation battered by mounting accusations and public scrutiny. A documentary broadcast his lewd remarks and gestures during a 2018 trip to North Korea, further fueling debate about his conduct and the culture of silence in the entertainment industry.
Arnould’s case has become emblematic of the broader #MeToo movement in France. Initially dropped, her complaint was revived after she filed as a civil party, a legal maneuver that forced a judicial investigation. Since then, Arnould has emerged as a vocal advocate for sexual assault victims and a critic of the film industry’s handling of abuse allegations. She has repeatedly called for more accountability, expressing solidarity with other survivors and urging systemic change.
Depardieu, who has reportedly retired from acting in the wake of these accusations, remains a divisive figure. While some in the French film world, such as filmmaker Fanny Ardant, have continued to support him — even offering him a role in a film shot in Portugal in spring 2025 — others see his case as a turning point. According to The New York Times, experts and advocates have described the court’s willingness to prosecute Depardieu as a "watershed moment," signaling that France’s resistance to #MeToo, especially in cultural circles, may finally be eroding.
If convicted in the upcoming trial, Depardieu could face up to 15 years in prison. The stakes are high, not just for the accused and the accuser, but for the entire French film industry and the ongoing debate about justice, celebrity, and accountability. As Arnould wrote after learning of the trial order, "The acts of rape and sexual assault have been acknowledged. Now, we await the next steps."
As the French justice system prepares for what is likely to be a closely watched trial, the case continues to spark fierce debate about power, truth, and the long road survivors face in seeking justice. For now, both sides await their day in court, and the world will be watching.
