---
title: "French prosecutors request 18-month suspended sentence for actor Depardieu"
description: "PARIS, March 27 (Reuters) - French prosecutors requested on Thursday an 18-month suspended sentence and a 20,000-euro ($21,588.00) fine for actor Gerard Depardieu in his sexual assault trial, Le Parisien and other media reported."
type: "NewsArticle"
publisher: "Daily Maverick"
site: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za"
section: "Newsdeck"
author: "Reuters"
author_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/author/reuters/"
canonical_url: "https://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025-03-27-french-prosecutors-request-18-month-suspended-sentence-for-actor-depardieu/"
published: "2025-03-27T21:15:22"
updated: "2025-03-27T21:15:24"
lang: "en-ZA"
word_count: 105
---

# French prosecutors request 18-month suspended sentence for actor Depardieu

> PARIS, March 27 (Reuters) - French prosecutors requested on Thursday an 18-month suspended sentence and a 20,000-euro ($21,588.00) fine for actor Gerard Depardieu in his sexual assault trial, Le Parisien and other media reported.

By Reuters · Published 27 March 2025, 23:15 SAST · Updated 27 March 2025, 23:15 SAST

## Key points
- In a plot twist worthy of a cinematic drama, Gérard Depardieu finds himself on trial for allegedly turning a film set into a stage for sexual assault, while he insists his only role was that of a misunderstood hip-grabber.
- Gérard Depardieu, 76, faces trial for allegedly sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021.
- This marks the first trial for the French cinema icon amid multiple sexual assault allegations.
- Depardieu admits to inappropriate contact but denies any assault, claiming the accusations are false.
- Prosecutors have requested further investigation, but the prosecutor's office has not commented.

## Content

Depardieu, 76, a towering figure of French cinema, is [accused of sexually assaulting](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL5N3Q911V&linkedFromStory=true) two women on a film set in 2021. This is the first time the actor, who has faced a number of sexual assault allegations in recent years, is standing trial.

Depardieu [has admitted](https://www.reutersconnect.com/all?search=all%3AL5N3Q80E4&linkedFromStory=true) to grabbing one of the women by the hips, but denied it was assault. His lawyer has said the accusations against his client are false and investigators biased.

Prosecutors made the request in court, media reported. The prosecutor's office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

($1 = 0.9264 euros)

(Reporting by Makini Brice and Juliette Jabkhiro)