Depardieu affair: the Les Papillons association ready to reconnect with Pierre Richard

The story between Pierre Richard and Les Papillons, which had lasted for years, abruptly ended in December, in the middle of the controversy on the platform supporting Gérard Depardieu. Signatory of the text, the actor was excluded from the association fighting against abuse. No question, according to its president Laurent Boyer, of continuing to work with Pierre Richard, under these conditions. “There are actions and comments that we cannot accept or excuse, even in the name of any friendship,” he explained on Instagram on December 26. We are and will always be on the side of the victims and because the platform in support of Gérard Depardieu that he signed is indecent.”

Since then, Pierre Richard has explained himself. In a message published on December 31 on social networks, Depardieu's former sidekick in Les Fugitifs (1986) claimed to have signed the column, "solely in the name of the presumption of innocence to which every citizen is entitled." Pierre Richard states that “this text does not reflect the support I have for all victims of sexual assault. He neither measures the intensity of their pain nor the path of suffering to have it recognized.” The actor continues by maintaining that he signed “without knowing the ideological movement in which the pen of the petition evolves, a movement light years from my commitments. If I could have hurt certain people, I am sincerely sorry, even upset.”

His remorse, which has been read more than a million times on his X account, was well received by the Les Papillons association. Its president extended his hand to the actor, Tuesday January 2 on BFMTV: “I sent a message last night to Pierre Richard to tell him that I took note of his position and that I was entirely willing to discuss with him again if he wanted to continue accompanying us.” The actor has not given his answer “yet”.

The column signed by the 89-year-old actor defends Gérard Depardieu, indicted for rape and targeted by a report from Complément d'investigation which shows him sexualizing a child. For the fifty-six artists who signed the text: “When we attack Gérard Depardieu in this way, it is art that we attack.”

The 75-year-old actor, who fell from his pedestal after the broadcast of images in which he multiplies misogynistic and sexual remarks, including towards a little girl, is the target of three complaints for sexual assault or rape which he refutes.