The household of Gerard Depardieu on Sunday denounced an “unprecedented conspiracy” in opposition to the French movie star, charged with rape and going through new scrutiny over sexist feedback.
Mounting accusations of sexual harassment, in addition to newly launched footage of Depardieu making obscene feedback, are forcing a recent debate about sexism and sexual violence in French cinema.
Culture Minister Rima Abdul-Malak stated this week that the 74-year-old actor’s behaviour shames France, noting that he may additionally be stripped of the Legion of Honor, the nation’s prime award.
“Of course, we are often shocked by Gerard’s comments, but our father/grandfather/uncle is being the target of an unprecedented conspiracy,” a number of members of his household, together with his daughter, actress Julie Depardieu, stated in a letter revealed in France’s flagship Sunday newspaper, Le Journal du Dimanche (JDD).
Deploring a “collective rage” in opposition to the actor, they stated that “in private, with his children, he is an extremely modest, delicate and even prudish person!”
On Saturday, the movie star’s attorneys instructed AFP that he was placing his Legion of Honor award on the disposal of the minister.
On Friday, the tradition minister stated that the Grand Chancery of the Legion of Honor would provoke a “disciplinary procedure” to resolve whether or not to strip Depardieu of the nation’s prime honor.
Depardieu’s attorneys, Beatrice Geissmann Achille and Christian Saint-Palais, questioned whether or not it was a part of Abdul Malak’s position to take part “so actively in the manhunt” and “media lynching” to which they believed their shopper was being subjected.
Depardieu was charged with rape in 2020 and has additionally confronted 13 accusations of sexual harassment or assault.
Earlier this month, broadcaster France 2 confirmed the actor on a 2018 journey to North Korea repeatedly making express sexual feedback within the presence of a feminine interpreter and sexualising a small lady using a horse.
Depardieu has denied any wrongdoing.
On Saturday, a Belgian municipality stripped Depardieu of the title of honorary citizen, and earlier this week the Canadian province of Quebec revoked its prime honour over his “scandalous” feedback in opposition to girls.
© 2023 AFP