French actor Depardieu positioned beneath sexual violence investigation: judicial supply By Reuters

By Benoit Van Overstraeten and Tangi Salaün

PARIS (Reuters) – French actor Gerard Depardieu was positioned beneath formal investigation on costs of rape and sexual violence in December final yr, a judicial supply informed Reuters on Tuesday.

A lawyer representing the 73-year-old Depardieu, one in every of France’s most prolific and well-known actors, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark left by Reuters at his workplace.

In 2019, French prosecutors mentioned they’d dropped an investigation into rape allegations in opposition to Depardieu, citing inadequate proof.

The judicial supply, talking on situation of anonymity, mentioned Depardieu had been positioned beneath formal investigation on Dec. 16 final yr and that he had not been held in custody or requested to submit bail.

The supply gave no additional particulars on the allegations.

Depardieu has starred in scores of French-language films, rising to prominence in 1974 with “Going Locations”, and gained worldwide recognition with a starring function within the 1990 English-language comedy “Inexperienced Card.” He received a Golden Globe greatest actor award for that function.

His efficiency within the French-language “Cyrano de Bergerac” the identical yr received him the award for greatest male efficiency on the Cannes movie competition, and a nomination in the perfect main actor class on the 1990 Academy Awards.

In 2012, Depardieu had a public falling out with the Socialist presidential administration in workplace in France on the time, accusing it of suppressing expertise with the taxes it was levying on excessive earners.

He mentioned he was handing in his French passport and transferring to a house he had purchased in Belgium.

In 2013, Russian President Vladimir Putin granted Depardieu Russian citizenship. The actor acquired his new passport in particular person from Putin on the Russian chief’s residence on the Black Beach.