Sexual assault trial of French film star Depardieu postponed until March

Gérard Depardieu faces charges of abuse that allegedly occurred during a 2021 film shoot.

A criminal court in Paris decided Monday to postpone the sexual assault trial of French actor Gérard Depardieu because of his health concerns, shifting the start of the proceedings to March of next year. Depardieu is accused of sexually assaulting two women during a 2021 film shoot, but has denied any wrongdoing.

A Paris court on Monday postponed the trial of French actor Gérard Depardieu on sexual assault charges until March after his lawyer said the star was too ill to appear in court.

Depardieu is the highest-profile figure to face accusations in French cinema's version of the #MeToo movement, triggered in 2017 by allegations against US producer Harvey Weinstein.

The judge ordered a medical to be held in early March to see if Depardieu would be fit to stand trial towards the end of that month.

Read more‘Wind of revolt’ sweeps French cinema in belated #MeToo reckoning

His lawyer, Jeremie Assous, had said earlier that the 75-year-old actor was "extremely affected" by ill health, and that he had asked for proceedings to be delayed until he could attend in person.


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