French actor Gérard Depardieu reportedly charged with rape
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.
"According to a source close to the case, Depardieu is a friend of the actress's family," AFP also says.
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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.
A lawyer for Depardieu told AFP he "completely rejects the accusations" against him, while a lawyer for the alleged victim asked for privacy during the proceedings.
