A staging assistant accuses Gérard Depardieu of attempted rape

After the testimony of 13 women accusing Gérard Depardieu of sexual violence and the indictment of the comedian for rape after a complaint by actress Charlotte Arnould, France Inter revealed new accusations Monday morning. On condition of anonymity, Léa (the first name has been changed), assistant director, tells how the actor would have tried to rape her during a shoot.

The facts date back to 2015, on the set of a TV movie. Aged 27 at the time, Léa had to stay alone with the actor in her room during a take to keep him out of the camera. “He pulled down his pants and showed me his penis. So I really panicked. I left the room as best I could, but he caught me in the hallway and pinned me against the wall. His stomach was blocking everything so he couldn't do anything, but as soon as I could have some respite, I ran and locked myself in another room, ”she says.

In her testimony, the young woman also mentioned a previous shoot with the actor who had already adopted inappropriate behavior, between derogatory remarks about his physique and "wandering hands on the buttocks and in the crotch". The actor's lawyers did not wish to react to this new reprobation.

After having heard of the many testimonies incriminating the actor, Léa decided to testify in turn “so that other assistants or assistants do not suffer the same thing”, she explained. For fear of professional reprisals, however, she does not intend to file a complaint. "At the time I didn't even think about it, it was impossible. And even today, it is unthinkable”, considers the assistant.

The words of Charlotte Arnould collected, in May, by BFMTV, confirm her in this decision. The young actress had told how her life has changed since she filed a complaint, punctuated by the legal proceedings she initiated against Gérard Depardieu. She accuses of having raped her twice on August 7 and then on August 13, 2018. She says she has been “living in hell” for five years.

“Everyone knows he behaves like that on set. Nobody is surprised, then denounced Charlotte Arnould. There is a huge omerta and there are people who allow this to be possible. All these people who are in power are feeding the monster.”

For his part, the 74-year-old actor, indicted for rape and sexual assault since December 16, 2020, "formally denies all the charges likely to fall under criminal law".