French National Actor Depardieu Faces Risk of Losing Highest Honor Due to Sexual Misconduct Scandal

French Authorities Review Revocation of Medal

G?rard Depardieu (74), a beloved French actor, is facing the possibility of being stripped of France's highest honor, the Legion of Honour, due to a sexual scandal.

On the 16th (local time), according to the French daily Le Parisien, French Minister of Culture Rima Abdul Malak announced on a broadcast the previous evening that the Legion of Honour council would "initiate disciplinary proceedings" against Depardieu.

Photo from the movie 'Let the Sunshine In' still image

Minister Malak stated, "The Legion of Honour is an award that recognizes people, art, attitudes, and values," adding, "The council will hold a meeting to decide whether to suspend or completely revoke Depardieu's honor."

Depardieu has been under investigation by prosecutors for allegedly sexually assaulting a woman in her twenties. He was previously cleared due to insufficient evidence but was indicted in 2020 on charges of sexually assaulting an actress and is currently under reinvestigation. The case is still ongoing, and Depardieu has continued his active career in the film industry.

In April, the French investigative journalism website Mediapart reported allegations from thirteen women claiming to be victims. In October, Depardieu denied all accusations in an open letter sent to the daily Le Figaro, asserting that he is not a predator.

Meanwhile, on the 7th, the French public broadcaster France 2 TV aired a one-hour documentary on its weekly investigative program showing Depardieu attending North Korea's 70th anniversary of the regime's founding, the '9.9 Day' event, where he made sexual remarks while looking at a young girl. Despite being aware of the filming, he persistently harassed a North Korean female interpreter sexually and did not hesitate to make sexual comments about a ten-year-old child riding a horse at a riding stable.

Testimonies from women in the film industry, including actresses and directors who accused Depardieu of sexual assault, have continued to emerge. He actively worked in the film industry, winning the Best Actor award at the 1990 Cannes Film Festival for the film "Cyrano" and being nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actor the following year. In 2013, in protest against the tax policies of Fran?ois Hollande's government, he acquired Russian citizenship.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.