French actor Gérard Depardieu, who dominated television and cinema for more than half a century, fell from grace in 2018, during the MeToo movement, when he was accused of taking advantage of an aspiring actress at her home.
Two more women subsequently came forward, accusing him of similar misconduct while working on a project.
An investigation into the latter allegations resulted in Depardieu being found guilty in court, a conviction he has now withdrawn his appeal against.
While the move was expected to ease some of the public outrage surrounding the actor, that does not appear to be happening.
A video capturing his controversial behavior toward a woman has now gone viral, drawing disgusted reactions online, with one person writing, “This is actually evidence of his sick ways.”
Gérard Depardieu faced fresh backlash as viral footage sparked fury following a legal U-turn
The two women who accused Depardieu of misconduct worked with him on Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) in Paris in 2021.
One was a hairdresser, while the other worked as an assistant director.
In May 2025, a court sentenced the actor to 18 months in prison, suspended, after finding him guilty, while also requiring him to register as a s*x offender in France.
Additionally, the court imposed a penalty over what it described as “secondary victimization,” referring to the treatment of the victims by the actor’s defense team during the proceedings.
Depardieu, who denied the allegations throughout the case, was scheduled to face an appeals retrial beginning Monday, November 16.
However, that will no longer happen.
According to AFP, the actor is understood to have withdrawn his appeal, although the reason behind the decision remains unknown.
His troubles, however, are far from over, as new footage has emerged showing him lifting a woman’s skirt while she stood behind him.
The clip is reportedly from a film set, with the woman said to be an extra.
It has since sparked widespread criticism of the veteran performer.
Netizens branded Depardieu “disgusting” as the clip gained traction on social media
Although the origin and authenticity of the footage remain unverified, viewers have not held back from expressing their outrage online.
One commenter called Depardieu “a sick piece of trash” over his apparent misconduct, while another labeled him a “disgusting pig.”
One particularly blunt reaction referenced France’s former practice of capital punishment.
“Too bad they stopped beheading people. He would’ve been a good candidate,” the user wrote.
However, not everyone focused exclusively on Depardieu’s actions.
One viewer questioned why the woman in the footage did not appear to intervene, writing, “I don’t see her pulling away, protesting, defending herself.”
That interpretation was quickly challenged by another commenter.
“Are you aware they’re filming a scene and that girl is just an extra in the movie? She has no power over that pig they consider god,” a critic of Depardieu responded.
Another commenter described people suggesting that the woman should have acted differently as “intolerable.”
The ongoing controversy thrust Depardieu’s MeToo case back into the spotlight
Depardieu has also been ordered to stand trial in the case involving fellow actor Charlotte Arnould, who accused him of violating her when she was 22.
The actor, for his part, has denied the allegation, maintaining that their encounter was consensual.
In October 2023, he published an open letter in the French newspaper Le Figaro, in which he wrote, “Never ever have I a**sed a woman.”
The case was subsequently sent to trial in September 2025, although the exact schedule of the proceedings remains to be announced.
Arnould addressed the development on social media, describing the preceding years as an extremely difficult period.
“Seven years later, seven years of horror and hell. I think I’m having trouble realizing how huge this is. I’m relieved,” she wrote.
French President Emmanuel Macron had previously defended the actor amid mounting allegations
The scrutiny surrounding Depardieu’s alleged conduct has extended beyond social media.
It has also drawn comments from France’s political leadership, particularly President Emmanuel Macron, who publicly defended the actor in 2023.
This followed the backlash against a television documentary that aired previously unseen footage from a 2018 trip to North Korea, showing Depardieu making crude comments about women.
During an interview with France 5, Macron described himself as an “admirer” of the actor and condemned what he called the media attention surrounding him as “a manhunt.”
“He makes France proud,” Macron added.
However, the French president also acknowledged the rights of the women who had come forward with their experiences, stating that they had the right “to be able to defend” themselves.
“Why are people filming not protecting her,” a netizen said about the video
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