Gérard Depardieu found guilty of sexual assault in landmark French trial

PARIS – A French court on Tuesday found Gérard Depardieu guilty of sexually assaulting two women on a film set, sentencing the French film icon to an 18-month suspended prison term.

Judges said both women gave consistent, credible accounts of being groped by the actor, with witness testimony supporting their claims.

While the court acknowledged some uncertainty around the timing and location of Sarah’s assault, it emphasized the strength of her descriptions and corroboration.

Depardieu, 76, had denied all wrongdoing, and his lawyer said he would appeal.

The verdict marks a major moment for France’s long-stalled reckoning with #MeToo, and with broader questions about how assault is defined, particularly within the film industry.

“With this decision, we can no longer say [that Gérard Depardieu] is not a sexual abuser,” Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, a lawyer for one of the victims, told reporters outside the courtroom shortly after the verdict was announced.

The case was originally expected to be heard in late 2024, but it was postponed multiple times, first due to scheduling issues, and then for medical reasons cited by the defense.

The trial opened in March 2025 and lasted four days.

Prosecutors in March asked for the 18-month suspended prison sentence and a fine of up to €200,000 (roughly $221,000).