French actor Gérard Depardieu reportedly charged with rape

(Image credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images)

last updated 23 February 2021

Gérard Depardieu has reportedly been charged with rape and sexual assault.

The French actor, who was nominated for an Oscar for his performance in 1990's Cyrano de Bergerac, was charged after an actress accused him of raping and assaulting her at his home in 2018, Agence France-Presse reports. They were reportedly rehearsing for a play at the time, per Page Six.

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A probe into the allegations against 72-year-old Depardieu was previously closed in 2019 after the Paris prosecutor's office said that "numerous investigations" weren't able to substantiate the claims, The New York Times reported. But the case was reportedly reopened last year, and Depardieu was charged in December. According to The Guardian, the accuser, who is in her 20s, refiled a complaint after the previous investigation was dropped.

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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.

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