French Actor Gerard Depardieu Faces Trial for Alleged Rape and Assault

French actor Gerard Depardieu is set to face trial for allegedly raping and assaulting a young actress in 2018. Actress Charlotte Arnould filed the complaint, accusing Depardieu of two incidents at his Paris home. The Paris prosecutor's office has called for a trial, now awaiting an investigating judge's decision.

French actor Gerard Depardieu is facing trial for allegedly raping and assaulting a young actress in 2018, according to the Paris prosecutor's office on Thursday. Depardieu, a prominent figure in French cinema, has denied the allegations.

Actress Charlotte Arnould, then 22, filed her initial complaint in 2018, claiming Depardieu assaulted her at his Paris residence on two separate occasions. A new complaint was lodged in 2020 after the first proceedings were dismissed. The prosecutor's office has now requested a trial, pending an investigating judge's decision.

Depardieu, 75, has been embroiled in multiple sexual assault allegations that have affected his career and sparked debates on sexual conduct in France. He is also scheduled for trial in October over separate allegations involving two women during a 2021 film shoot, which he also denies.

(With inputs from agencies.)