Gerard Depardieu sexual assault trial marks a cultural reckoning for post-#MeToo France
PARIS — Gérard Depardieu won’t just be facing two women who accuse him of sexual assault when he walks into a Paris courtroom on Monday. France's most famous male actor will also be confronting a nation long criticized for failing to address sexual violence — particularly when committed by its most powerful figures.
Depardieu, 76, is accused of assaulting a set dresser and an assistant director during the 2021 filming of “Les Volets Verts” (“The Green Shutters”). While more than 20 women have publicly accused him of sexual misconduct, this is the first time one of those cases has gone to trial.
It is also the most prominent post-#MeToo-era case in France, testing whether a country famed for its culture of seduction is prepared to hold its cultural titans accountable.
Prosecutors say Depardieu trapped one of the women with his legs before groping her in front of witnesses. In an interview with investigative outlet Mediapart, the 54-year-old set dresser said Depardieu shouted rude sexual comments on set. She said he then grabbed her forcefully and had to be pulled away by bodyguards.
A second woman, a 34-year-old assistant director, alleged she was groped both on set and in the street.
Depardieu has denied all allegations.
In an open letter published in Le Figaro in October 2023, he wrote: “Never, but never, have I abused a woman. To think that I have hurt someone or made them feel uncomfortable is intolerable to me.”
He added, “I have only ever been guilty of being too loving, too generous, or of having a temperament that is too strong.”
His lawyer, Jérémie Assous, called the case baseless and said Depardieu — who recently underwent a quadruple bypass and has diabetes — will attend the two-day trial, reportedly with breaks scheduled to accommodate his health condition.
———
Kim Kardashian calls for hearing after Ye brings daughter North to Andrew Tate meeting, report says
NEW YORK — Kim Kardashian called an emergency hearing last week after learning that Andrew and Tristan Tate, who are accused of rape and human trafficking abroad, would be at the same location where her ex-husband Ye, formerly known as Kanye West, was visiting with their eldest child, North.
The reality star, 44, and 47-year-old “Heartless” rapper met with a mediator and their lawyers last Friday, TMZ reports.
Insiders told the outlet that Kardashian demanded the hearing after the Skims founder was alerted that right-wing influencer and self-proclaimed misogynist Andrew, 38, and his 36-year-old brother would be present at the very location Ye was visiting with North.
The exes’ hearing also addressed Ye’s new track with Sean “Diddy” Combs, who is in lockup at Brooklyn MDC as he awaits the May 5 start of his trial for federal sex trafficking and racketeering charges. North’s vocals are featured on the song, “Lonely Roads Still Go to Sunshine,” which also features Diddy’s 26-year-old son, Christian “King” Combs.
Despite vowing not to release the song with North on it, Ye last week released the version with his daughter on X.
TMZ also reports that the 55-year-old Bad Boy Records founder wasn’t happy that a portion of a discussion between himself and Ye, which he didn’t realize was being recorded, ended up memorialized in the song.
Multiple sources have told Us Weekly that Kardashian is “considering” filing for “full custody” of their four children due to Ye’s disturbing behavior on and offline. Those most recent events include antisemitic rants on X and selling swastika shirts online,
During the mediation, Kardashian also pointed to her ex’s tendency to don swastika-emblazoned apparel.
West now reportedly also wants to file for full custody, according to TMZ. The stars also share Saint, 8, Chicago, 6, and Psalm, 5.
The Tates maintain their innocence after they were arrested in late 2022 and formally indicted last year in Bucharest, Romania, for allegedly luring women to the Eastern European country and forcing them to film pornographic content. The brothers landed in the U.S. late last month.
Earlier this week, West launched yet another rant on X, during which he accused Kardashian of sex trafficking and hurled slurs at Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s 7-year-old twins, Sir and Rumi.
———
Beyoncé’s dad says Kanye West will ‘pay the price’ for slurs about her children
NEW YORK — Much like Tina Knowles, Beyoncé’s dad is fed up with Kanye West after the rapper used slurs to refer to the star’s two youngest children.
In one of his latest offensive tirades, West, 47, on March 18 attacked the presumed mental capacity of Jay-Z and Beyoncé’s 7-year-old twins, Rumi and Sir, according to screenshots of his since-deleted tweet.
Days later, Matthew Knowles told TMZ that karma would be coming Ye’s way for attacking his grandchildren.
“People pay a price for being stupid, especially in the music industry,” he told the outlet. “I’m hopeful Kanye gets the type of help he needs, in terms of mental health.”
His comments came after matriarch Tina appeared to address Ye’s remarks in an Instagram Reel earlier this week.
In a previous caption to the clip, which has since been edited, Tina said that it’s “hard to remain positive and classy in the face of ignorance and evil.”
“But I know that no weapon formed against me or my family shall prosper,” she reportedly wrote. “This battle is not mine, but the Lord’s.”
Though West subsequently tweeted that he does “love Jay Z and I do feel bad,” he only doubled down on his disdain for the famous couple, who he said “could have helped me have more leverage with my children.”
“They could have used their cultural position to not just watch the Kardashians run me over. So [expletive] both of them,” he wrote in another since-deleted post.
Ye’s latest tantrum came on the same day as reports that his ex-wife, Kim Kardashian, was considering filing for full custody of their four young children amid his ongoing disturbing behavior, which has been rife with antisemitic sentiments.
From combined wire services