As Gérard Depardieu is found guilty of sexual assault, what did Brigitte Bardot say, has Macron defended him?

Actor Gérard Depardieu, considered France’s biggest film star, has been found guilty of sexually assaulting two women. He has been given an 18 month suspended prison sentence after he was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women during a film shoot for Les Volets Verts in 2021.

Sky News reported that “Both women claimed they were scared to speak out at the time and intimidated by Depardieu. "I was petrified", said one of the women, a set designer named Amelie.

“She told the court that Depardieu had trapped her between his legs as she tried to get past him in a corridor, and had then run his hands over her body. "He terrified me - he looked like a madman," she said.”

Gérard Depardieu, who is 76, has appeared in more than 200 movies, was not in court to hear the verdict. In October 2024, his sexual assault trial was delayed due to the actor suffering health issues.

Le Monde reported at the time that “His lawyer, Jérémie Assous, had said earlier that Depardieu, 75, was "extremely affected" by ill health, and that he had asked for proceedings to be delayed until he could attend in person. "Unfortunately his doctors have forbidden him from appearing here today," the lawyer said on arrival for the trial.”

What has Brigitte Bardot said?

In a rare interview with French television on BFM, Brigitte Bardot defended both Gérard Depardieu and French actor and director Nicolas Bedos who was found guilty of sexually assaulting two women in October 2024 and said that they should be allowed “to get on with their lives.”

Brigitte Bardot also said: "Those who have talent and put their hands on a girl's bottom are thrown in the gutter," and also said: "We could at least let them get on with their lives. They can't live anymore," and revealed that "feminism isn’t my thing.”

Has Emmanuel Macron defended Gérard Depardieu?

When Emmanuel Macron described Gérard Depardieu as a target of a manhunt in 2023, both politicians and feminists reacted angrily to what he said. Macron told broadcaster France 5 that “You will never see me participate in a manhunt … hate that type of thing,” and also went on to say that “I’m a great admirer of Gérard Depardieu; he’s an immense actor … a genius of his art. He has made France known across the whole world. And, I say this as president and as a citizen, he makes France proud.”

In May 2024, Macron clarified his position on Gérard Depardieu and told French Elle that his comments had been misinterpreted and said: “I just want a respect for our principles, such as the presumption of innocence. These same principles which will allow justice to rule next October and that is a good thing.” October was when Gérard Depardieu’s original trial was due to take place.