Renowned French actor Gérard Depardieu was convicted on Tuesday by a Paris court for sexually assaulting two women during the filming of a 2021 movie in which he starred.
The 76-year-old was handed an 18-month suspended sentence and will be added to France’s national sex offender registry.
Depardieu, who did not appear in court for the ruling, was also ordered to pay €15,000 (around $17,000) in damages to one of the victims, and €14,040 to the other to cover medical expenses.
His legal team has confirmed he will appeal the verdict.
The decision marks a watershed moment in France’s reckoning with sexual misconduct in the entertainment industry. One of the victims, identified only as Amélie, welcomed the outcome.
“For me, it’s a victory, truly. We are moving forward,” she told reporters outside the courthouse.
Her lawyer, Carine Durrieu Diebolt, hailed the ruling as a message to the French film world.
“I’ve heard some actors recently still supporting Depardieu. Now with this verdict, no one can say Gérard Depardieu is not a sexual predator, and that’s very important,” she said.
The conviction has drawn widespread attention across France, a country where public figures in the arts have long enjoyed significant protection.
The court’s decision, framed against the backdrop of a slow-building #MeToo movement in France, could signal a turning point in how the industry deals with allegations of abuse.
Depardieu’s legal team has yet to release a full statement beyond confirming the appeal.
