Many ‘long-time friends’ of Depardieu denounce his ‘lynching’ • FRANCE 24 English

Reporter so Clovis this is an open letter tell us about who signed it and what it says yes an open letter this morning in the newspaper Luffy G well respected newspaper including big names like actresses Natalie Bay Carol buou Charlotte rampling singers Carla bruny ja duton many of them are longtime

Friends of jardio it’s not the Young Generation of French actors or French artists it’s more the old God if I may and all feel they can’t remain silent in the face of what they’re calling a main hunt manh hunt uh targeting France’s living legend probably the most famous French actor in the world

Jadu he’s under formal investigation for two cases of rape alleged rape back in 2020 he denies them and a recent documentary you can see the pictures behind me are from the backstage of a documentary The Making off of a documentary in North Korea where Gerard deio makes very obscene remarks clear

About women and young girls so what does this open letter actually says well it says that when you’re targeting the you’re attacking art um and also that Justice needs to be respected and that D is innocent until proven guilty uh the artists say yes an investigation is underway but let’s let the investigators

Do their work and let’s stop talking about duu these friends of his say that they’re very worried for him that he’s at an all-time low in his life some even saying that they’re worried for the life of dearer that people are trying to destroy him trying to put him down and

These uh 50 artists or so more moreover say that de well France owes a lot to De that the French actors helped his country shine around uh the world he even received the Legion of Honor for that and this is where it’s getting a little uh political because a week ago

The French President Emanuel Macon made some comments about let’s take a listen to what Emanuel had to say the answer to the question of whether are we taking back the Legion of Honor given to artists or other the known figures who say things that shock me that answer is

No and I’m telling you this right now because it isn’t a moral reward and I don’t want it to become that there’s one thing you’ll never see me do and that’s go on a Manhunt I hate that really interesting comments from Emanuel macron saying he’s a big fan of Jed depu

And what it does for France just tell me what ripple effect that has had politically and societal too well in that clip we saw a journalist only half convinced by what Emanuel macron was saying and she’s not only the only one here in France you’ve got many feminist

Groups many people in general in France uh just saying that the French President had no role here he shouldn’t have uh spoken out he shouldn’t have defended the undefendable that’s what these groups are saying and what’s interesting also is that the culture Minister uh here in France a few days before that

Interview said that J deader might be stripped of his Legion of Honor that the committee was looking into it that infuriated the French president who said that his culture Minister spoke too soon and was wrong in doing that let’s also say that there have been many accusations of sexism of misconduct of

Molesting targeting Jer on film sets throughout the years many voices being heard increasingly also um about J de and some also saying that the world of Cinema has been turning a blind eye and not just men women also allowing J dead to make sexist remarks for making women

Feel uncomfortable on film sets deer’s wax works now been re removed from the the museum gr which is the equivalent of the Madame Tau here in France he’s also been stripped of his title of honorary citizen in Belgium a similar um title also in Quebec so clearly the D Scandal

Is uh going beyond the French borders will it be the French Harvey Weinstein uh Scandal we have to wait and see but clearly an alltime low for accused of many um sexist remarks also under formal investigation for two cases of rape difficult times for jio and some of his friends trying to defend

Him Clovis it’s really interesting what you just said when you talk about this basically Unity of a number of well-known celebrities people like Charlotte rampling kylo bruny uh the singer as well saying that they stand behind him let’s wait to see this is a lynching they say you talk about the

Effect which I didn’t know to his health as well that those around him say actually he’s contemplated potentially suicide but we haven’t heard from him in recent weeks no he did uh take to the newspapers and try to give an interview try to explain himself years back when

There were other accusations uh flowing and he said that he was no rapist that he was no Predator that that was just his personality to joke around to uh make obviously obscene remarks and GA buuk his former partner huge actress here uh in France also defending him

Also saying that that was just his personality his friends were telling him off for doing that but these are very different cases there’s a difference between accusations of rape and just bad jokes a deu deu caught in a storm very clearly will it be the next Weinstein we don’t really

Know J de’s family also speaking out saying that J deu is in a very difficult moral State J de Bader is a controversial figure he’s been accused of being a friend of Putin in the past going to um Russia several times uh being shown on on on on Russian TV with

Putin he tried to defend him at some uh points over the war in Ukraine xaju also accused of not paying his tax in the past going to Belgium so no stranger to controversy but this is of a very different uh nature Gerardo we haven’t heard from him yet but um he’s he’s a

Troubled s I’m not going to try to defend him here his son died a few years ago and it does seem that he was never the same again Shu obviously in a very difficult situation and that’s why his friends are trying to defend him

Nearly 60 French actors and other prominent figures have denounced the “lynching” of disgraced film legend Gerard Depardieu, who is charged with rape and is facing a litany of other sexual assault claims. FRANCE 24 Reporter Clovis Casali said the signatories included, “actresses like Carole Bouquet, Charlotte Rampling; singers Carla Bruni, Jacques Dutronc; many of them long-time friends of Gerard Depardieu”. Casali added: “it’s not the young generations, it’s more the old guard, if I may.” 

Read more about this story in our article: https://f24.my/A1Iw.y

🔔 Subscribe to France 24 now: https://f24.my/YTen
🔴 LIVE – Watch FRANCE 24 English 24/7 here: https://f24.my/YTliveEN

🌍 Read the latest International News and Top Stories: https://www.france24.com/en/

Like us on Facebook: https://f24.my/FBen
Follow us on X (Twitter): https://f24.my/Xen
Browse the news in pictures on Instagram: https://f24.my/IGen
Discover our TikTok videos: https://f24.my/TKen
Get the latest top stories on Telegram: https://f24.my/TGen

9 comments

  2. If they put all the energy they use to defend themselves into not treating women as their own personal sex toys, they wouldn't find themselves in these situations. There's nothing more despicable than men defending themselves like this. I mean, look at Rubiales in Spain! Not only do they commit crimes, but god forbid anyone points it out. Who do these men think they are?

    And PLEASE educate yourselves and the public about the words being used. A lynching implies a violent death at the hands of a mob. Depardieu's life is not in danger. The lives of his victims are a different story. Sexual violence destroys the victims, many of whom end up taking their lives because they're unable to cope with the trauma that was inflicted upon them. Rich men, surrounded by privilege, crying foul because they are being held accountable. Nauseating, really.

Leave a Reply