PARIS (AP) — A lady accusing French actor Gérard Depardieu of sexual assault informed a landmark trial in Paris on Wednesday that he groped her buttocks and her breasts a number of occasions in three separate incidents on a movie set.
Depardieu, 76, is accused of groping a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant throughout filming in 2021 of “Les Volets Verts” (“The Green Shutters”). He denies any sexual assault.
Day 3 of the Paris trial centered on the testimony of the youthful plaintiff, who stated Depardieu first groped her backside when she was alone with him for a quick second between the backstage space and the movie set.
“Out of the blue, he put his hand on my butt,” she stated, including she was “under shock,” “petrified,” and stated nothing.
In a second incident, she stated Depardieu out of the blue put each his fingers on her breasts: “I stated no, I used to be scared.”
She additionally described telling Depardieu “no” throughout a 3rd related incident.
The plaintiff stated she reported the problem to her direct supervisor, who then alerted others answerable for the movie manufacturing, prompting anger from the actor.
Depardieu repeatedly denied the allegations Wednesday in court docket, saying : “I’m not like that.”
“I think that maybe, I don’t know, she was wary because of my reputation of being vulgar, crude, rude,” Depardieu said. “But I’m not only that. I still respect people.”
The actor additionally informed the court docket that he’s nearly at all times accompanied by aides on the movie set, together with his physique guard, and instructed that he would hardly ever discover himself alone with a movie employee.
On Tuesday, Depardieu acknowledged that he had used vulgar and sexualized language with the set dresser who accused him of sexual assault. He stated he grabbed her hips throughout an argument, however denied that his habits was sexual.
The Related Press doesn’t determine by identify individuals who say they have been sexually assaulted except they consent to. Neither girls has executed so on this case.
The four-day trial was to proceed Thursday, with the decision anticipated at a later date.
The actor faces as much as 5 years in jail and a superb of 75,000 euros ($81,000) if convicted.
