12 people were raped, sexually harassed, and made remarks about sexual harassment while visiting North Korea
Gérard Depardieu, famous Buddhist actor, embroiled in sexual harassment scandal
Over 60 people, including former First Lady of Buddhism and famous actors, are supporting it.
While French actor Gérard Depardieu (74) has been indicted on a total of 12 charges of rape and sexual assault since 2020, controversy is erupting as more than 60 celebrities, including actors and models, publicly support him.
According to foreign media such as the Guardian, on the 27th (local time), about 60 French figures, including actors and models, publicly defended Gérard Depardieu, a great French actor who was embroiled in a sex scandal, including allegations of rape, by issuing a statement in support of him. In particular, singer and 23rd First Lady of France Carla Bruni and famous actress Charlotte Rampling were listed as supporters.
They described the criticism surrounding him as ‘lynching’ and argued that it was unfair for his reputation to be tarnished because of the sex scandal. The support statement reportedly said, “Gérard Depardieu is the greatest of all actors.” French President Emmanuel Macron was not on the list of supporters, but was criticized for his comments defending Depardieu last week.
Depardieu, a French actor who participated as an actor and producer in more than 200 films and TV works and won prestigious awards such as Cannes and César, was indicted in 2020 on charges of raping an actor in his 20s at his home in August 2018. . Afterwards, more than a dozen people accused and exposed him of sexual assault and sexual harassment, and the scandal grew out of control.
Subsequently, on the 7th, a documentary video was released accusing Depardieu of making misogynistic and obscene remarks during his visit to North Korea in 2018, and public criticism grew stronger. He did not stop sexually harassing a 10-year-old girl and the interpreter in charge.
Although the legal ruling has not yet been made, it appears that ‘Departieu’s loss of honor’ has already begun. After the video of his visit to North Korea was released, the Canadian province of Quebec stripped him of the Quebec Medal of Honor awarded to him in 2002.
French Culture Minister Lima Malak also mentioned that Depardieu could be stripped of France’s highest decoration, the Legion of Honor, awarded to him in 1996. Minister Malik criticized Depardieu’s actions at a press conference.
However, the minister said that since France guarantees complete creative freedom, the government cannot intervene in his artistic activities.
France is generally known to be very tolerant of the private lives of public figures. Former First Lady Carola, who publicly supported Depardieu, also met a famous publisher 19 years her senior before marriage, developed a common-law relationship with his son, who is 7 years younger, and gave birth to a child, and quickly married her current spouse, former President Sarkozy, 3 months after meeting him. It has created numerous scandals.
Source: Donga
Mark Jones is a world traveler and journalist for News Rebeat. With a curious mind and a love of adventure, Mark brings a unique perspective to the latest global events and provides in-depth and thought-provoking coverage of the world at large.