Gérard Depardieu has admitted in court to grabbing a woman by the hips, but claimed that it was not sexual assault. He argued that any improper comments he made were due to his bad mood at the time. Depardieu, a prominent figure in French cinema, has been facing multiple sexual assault allegations in recent years, and this is the first case in which he is standing trial. He denied any wrongdoing and said he had not mentioned the incident when questioned by the police previously. Depardieu added that he grabbed the woman’s hip to prevent himself from slipping, due to being upset about her work and the heat. He also highlighted that his obesity made some of the alleged actions physically impossible. He stated that any crude comments were related to her work rather than directed personally at her. If found guilty, Depardieu could face up to five years in jail and a fine of €75,000. The trial, which commenced on Monday, was initially postponed due to his illness. The case involves allegations of sexual assault against Amelie K and another woman during the filming of “Les Volets verts” (The Green Shutters) in 2021. Depardieu is accused of grabbing Amelie K, pulling her towards him, trapping her with his legs, and touching her waist, hips, breasts, and genitals while saying obscene words. Three witnesses reportedly witnessed the incident. The trial is considered the most high-profile #MeToo case in the French media industry.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/film/2025/mar/25/gerard-depardieu-admits-grabbing-sexual-assault-accuser-hips