French cinema icon Gérard Depardieu has been ordered to stand trial in Paris on charges of rape and sexual assault involving fellow actor Charlotte Arnould.
Arnould welcomed the decision, writing on Instagram Tuesday that she felt “relieved” by the judge’s order, calling it “a form of judicial truth.” Her lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, told Franceinfo she was “extremely satisfied,” describing the ruling as a key step in the case.
The allegations date back to 2018, when Arnould accused Depardieu of raping her at his home. Prosecutors launched an investigation and last year requested the case be sent to trial. “The acts of rape and sexual assault have been acknowledged,” Arnould said, adding that she now awaits the next stage of the proceedings.
Depardieu, 76, was convicted earlier this year of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021, receiving an 18-month suspended sentence and being added to France’s sex offender registry. Once nominated for an Oscar for Cyrano de Bergerac in 1991, the veteran actor has appeared in more than 250 films. Over 20 women have accused him of sexual misconduct in recent years, but most cases were dismissed for lack of evidence or expired limitations.