French star Fanny Ardant took to the stand at Gerard Depardieu’s ongoing sexual assault trial in Paris on Wednesday, to defend her long-time friend and sporadic co-star.
Ardant was speaking on the third day of Depardieu’s trial in the French capital on charges of sexual assault related to two separate accusations of incidents alleged to have happened on the set of Jean Becker’s The Green Shutters in 2021.
The trial – which follows at least 20 public allegations against Depardieu of recent and historic sexually inappropriate behavior – marks the first time any of the accusations have landed the actor in court.
Ardant, who co-starred opposite Depardieu in films such as The Women Next Door (1981) and Hello Goodbye (2008), is one of the few figures from the French film world to continue publicly showing solidarity with the actor.
“I know that we are here to seek the truth, that the truth is the most difficult thing to define,” she told the court. “I am a friend of Gérard, I have known him all my life, so I can speak for him before this court.”
“Every form of genius carries something extravagant, rebellious, dangerous, of embodying the monster and the saint… He is known from Cuba to Vladivostok. Because audiences around the world have been able to identify with the characters he plays,” she continued.
Ardant acknowledged Depardieu’s larger than life character and penchant for vulgar language, suggesting that the actor had few social graces and would have spoken to late Cuban leader Fidel Castro in the same way that he spoke to an electrician.
“Yes, Gérard takes up space on set, yes, he has a big mouth, yes, he says bad things, he likes to act the fool on set. For me, this job of being an actor, a singer, a painter, you have to give your whole life for it. And Gérard, he always gave everything like a volcano, with the worst and the best.”
Ardant acknowledged that this behavior was no longer in step with modern mores, but lamented that so few people from the French film world had shown support for him.
“I know that society has changed, that the benchmarks are no longer the same and that there are things that we used to tolerate that are no longer tolerable,” she said. “I know that many did not dare to come and defend Gérard because they were afraid, afraid of losing their job, afraid of no longer being able to be an actor, or, as a director, no longer being able to make films. But fear must not be a way to make citizens obey.”
Then concluding: “If I did not come to defend my friend, I would blame myself for the rest of my life for my cowardice. I only believe in the outstretched hand, in forgiveness, in friendship and love.”
If found guilty, Depardieu could face a sentence of up to five years in jail and a €75,000 ($81,000) fine.
