Sophie Marceau, one of France's most popular and acclaimed actors, has spoken out against Gerard Depardieu, the legendary French star who is facing rape charges and widespread criticism for his lewd remarks.
In an interview with Paris Match magazine, Marceau said that Depardieu was "rude and inappropriate" when they co-starred in the 1985 film "Police", a thriller about a corrupt cop and a mysterious woman. She said that Depardieu did not respect women on the set, especially those who had low-level jobs, and that he used "vulgarity and provocation" as his trademark.
Marceau, who rose to fame as a teenager in the 1980 comedy "La Boum" and later appeared in international hits such as "Braveheart" and "The World Is Not Enough", said that she publicly denounced Depardieu's behaviour at the time, but faced backlash from many people who tried to make her look like "a nuisance".
Depardieu, who has appeared in more than 200 films and TV shows, was charged with rape in 2020 after a young actress accused him of assaulting her in 2018. He has also been accused of sexual harassment and assault by more than a dozen other women, some of whom were minors at the time.
The 75-year-old actor has recently sparked outrage for his sexually explicit comments about a young girl riding a horse during a 2018 trip to North Korea, which were aired for the first time in a documentary on national TV this month. The footage drew condemnation from feminist groups and politicians across the spectrum, who denounced Depardieu's misogyny and pedophilia.
However, President Emmanuel Macron defended Depardieu last week, saying that he felt "huge admiration" for him and that he was the target of "a manhunt". Macron called Depardieu "an immense actor", a remark that was slammed by women's rights activists as "an insult" and "dangerous".
Former president Francois Hollande also weighed in on the controversy, saying that he was "not proud of Gerard Depardieu" after watching the documentary.
On Monday, nearly 60 actors and artists, including Charlotte Rampling, Carla Bruni and Carole Bouquet, signed an open letter in Le Figaro newspaper, expressing their support for Depardieu and claiming that he was the victim of "a torrent of hatred" and "probably the greatest of all actors".
Depardieu himself thanked the signatories, most of whom are his friends and peers, and called the letter "beautiful".
But not everyone in the French film industry is on Depardieu's side. Isabelle Carre, a prominent actor who has starred in dozens of films, wrote an op-ed piece in Elle magazine on Wednesday, denouncing the culture of sexualisation and harassment that affects young girls in France.
Carre said that she had experienced unwanted sexual attention since she was 11 years old, and that she just wanted to "grow up in peace". She also referred to Depardieu, saying that it was "astounding" that it took 50 years to point out to him that his behaviour towards female colleagues was "not acceptable".
Depardieu has been involved in several other scandals over the years, such as public brawling, drunk driving and urinating in the cabin of a commercial aircraft.
He also stirred controversy in 2012, when he moved to Belgium to avoid paying taxes in France, a decision that was labelled "pathetic" by the then prime minister Jean-Marc Ayrault. In response, Depardieu took Russian citizenship and posted pictures of himself with President Vladimir Putin.
But last year, he criticised Putin's "crazy, unacceptable excesses" in the Ukraine war, showing his unpredictable and volatile nature.
Depardieu has also lost some of his honours and recognition due to his scandals. A Belgian municipality recently stripped him of the title of honorary citizen, and the Canadian province of Quebec revoked its top honour over his "scandalous" comments about women.
There have been demonstrations against Depardieu in France, and the Paris wax museum, Musee Grevin, has removed his statue from its collection.
