French actor Depardieu withdraws appeal for sexual assault conviction, making original ruling final

French cinema icon Gérard Depardieu is set to withdraw his appeal of a conviction for sexually assaulting two women on a film set, a source close to the case told AFP on Friday, ahead of a hearing next week.

The withdrawal comes after a court last year handed the 77-year-old an 18-month suspended sentence and ordered him to register as a sex offender, marking a spectacular fall from grace for an actor who dominated French cinema for half a century.

An appeals trial was due to begin on Monday, but the withdrawal effectively makes the original ruling final, including an additional penalty for "secondary victimisation" stemming from his defence team's treatment of the two women.

The trial related to charges of sexual assault during the filming in 2021 of "Les Volets Verts" ("The Green Shutters") by director Jean Becker.

The plaintiffs were a set dresser, identified only as Amélie, and an assistant director.

Depardieu has denied the allegations.
The actor has also been indicted in a separate case following a rape complaint filed by actor Charlotte Arnould, 30.

He denies the allegations and has appealed against his referral to the criminal court, with a decision expected on November 26.

Depardieu, who has acted in more than 200 films and television series, is the highest-profile figure caught up in France's response to the #MeToo movement.

The verdict was delivered on the first day of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, France's most prestigious cinema showcase where Depardieu won best actor in 1990.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)