“As if I were a piece of meat”: the actress accused Depardieu of sexual assault

The French film star is again at the center of a scandal: “He continued to grope me between takes”

French film star Gerard Depardieu is once again at the center of a scandal. This time, actress Hélène Darras filed a formal complaint against him for sexual assault.

The allegations that the French star groped Darras on set are the second official complaint since Charlotte Arnault accused the actor of rape in 2018, The Guardian notes.

A second actress has filed a formal complaint against Gérard Depardieu, alleging that the French star sexually assaulted her on the set of the 2007 film Disco – 16 years ago.

Full details of Hélène Darras’ allegations against the French star were promised to be aired on the French investigative news show Complément d’Enquête on Thursday evening.

Hélène Darras was 26 years old when she had a cameo role as a dance competition participant in the film comedy “Disco”, in which Depardieu played one of the main roles.

“He looked at me as if I was a piece of meat,” Darras claims of Depardieu in an interview excerpt, recalling that he “came up to me and then ran his hand over my thighs and buttocks.”

He then reportedly asked her if she wanted to come to his dressing room; Darras refused, but, according to her, “it didn’t change anything”: “He continued to grope me between takes.”

Hélène Darras said that at the time she did not report the famous actor’s behavior for fear that it would lead to her being blacklisted. “I was an extra. I didn’t even graduate from drama school. I really wanted to become an actress,” she explains about her almost two-decade-long silence.

It is understood that investigators are looking into the complaint, which could be thrown out due to the statute of limitations in France, to determine whether legal proceedings should be formally brought against Depardieu, The Guardian notes.

In 2018, actress Charlotte Arnault already accused the actor of rape. Depardieu himself denied all accusations; The case is currently being heard in the courts.

In May this year, investigative news site Médiapart published an in-depth report detailing allegations made by 13 women. Two separate allegations were part of an investigation by French radio station France Inter.

Gerard Depardieu denied all accusations and in October 2023 published an open letter in the French newspaper Le Figaro in his defense. “Never, never have I insulted a woman,” he wrote. “Facing the trial of the media, facing the lynching that was reserved for me, I have only my word to defend myself.”

The actor continued, saying he is “not a rapist or a predator” but would not participate in “any projects” given the “context” of the allegations.