Gerard Depardieu withdraws appeal against his 2025 sexual assault conviction in France.
The French actor received an 18-month suspended sentence over the 2021 film shoot.
Depardieu faces a separate rape case involving actress Charlotte Arnould.
Gerard Depardieu Withdraws Appeal Against Sexual Assault Conviction, Making Verdict Final
Gerard Depardieu’s sexual assault conviction is set to become final after the French actor decided to withdraw his appeal against the court’s 2025 verdict
Summary
French actor Gerard Depardieu is set to withdraw his appeal against his sexual assault conviction involving two women on a film set. A source close to the case told AFP on November 13 that the 77-year-old actor would not challenge the verdict ahead of an appeals hearing scheduled for next week. The decision is expected to make the original ruling final.
Gerard Depardieu’s sexual assault conviction in France
In 2025, a court sentenced Depardieu to 18 months in prison, suspended, after finding him guilty of sexually assaulting two women during the filming of Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in 2021. The film was directed by Jean Becker. The court also ordered him to register as a sex offender.
The two women who brought the case were a set dresser, identified only as Amelie, and an assistant director. According to AFP, the original ruling also included an additional penalty for "secondary victimisation", linked to the defence team's treatment of the women during the proceedings.
Depardieu has denied the allegations. His decision to withdraw the appeal means the original conviction and sentence will stand, bringing this particular case to a close.
Gerard Depardieu faces a separate rape case
The actor is also facing a separate legal case following a rape complaint filed by actress Charlotte Arnould, who is 30. Depardieu has denied the allegations in this case as well. He has appealed against the decision to send him to criminal court, with a ruling on that appeal expected on November 26.
As reported, Depardieu has appeared in more than 200 films and television series and is among the most prominent figures caught up in France's response to the #MeToo movement.
The sexual assault verdict was delivered on the opening day of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival. Depardieu, who won the festival's Best Actor award in 1990, had been one of the defining faces of French cinema for decades. The conviction marked a major setback for the actor's long career.
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