French actor, Gérard Depardieu is facing fresh allegations of se*ually inappropriate behaviour by 13 women.
The accusations come after a months-long investigation into the French film star, known for his appearances in Paris, je t’aime and Jean de Florette.
On Wednesday, April 12, Mediapart published a dossier detailing how the 74-year-old regularly preyed on his victims during recent productions such as Marseille, a Netflix crime drama.
Depardieu, who rose to prominence in films like Green Card and The Last Metro, strongly denies the allegations, with a legal spokesman saying, ‘He formally denies all charges likely to fall under criminal law.’
It comes after 33-year-old French actress Charlotte Arnould accused Depardieu of raping her at his Paris mansion.
Ms. Arnould renounced her legal right to anonymity at the end of 2021 in order to protest the length of the investigation after Depardieu was charged with rape and se*ual assault.
Although there is CCTV footage of Depardieu performing a se.x act on Arnould in August 2018, the actor has stated that their relationship was consensual.
The new Mediapart report reads: ‘Besides the complaint from Charlotte Arnould, we have gathered 13 accounts from women who say they were subjected to se*ually inappropriate gestures or proposals by the famous actor, of differing levels of gravity.’
‘Across the different accounts, the same scene seemed to repeat itself. They are actresses, make-up artists and crew members.
‘They attest to have been subjected to a hand on their buttock, between the legs, or on their thighs or stomach – as well as obscene se*ual propositions, and sometimes insistent groaning.’
None of the new 13 reports – some of which have been made anonymously are currently formal criminal complaints.
It alleged that the incidents were often brushed off with laughter, and the words: ‘Oh, OK, it’s just Gérard!’
The publication suggests that many victims feared a complaint might lead to a backlash which could see them never working again.