Gérard Depardieu will become the most famous Frenchman to appear in court on charges of sexual assault, according to The Guardian.

The French cinema titan, who has appeared in over 200 films and TV shows, was accused in 2021 of sexual assault against two women during the shooting of a film.

The 76-year-old Depardieu has faced accusations of rape or sexual assault from more than ten women, all of which he has denied. However, this will be the first time he has appeared in court to answer the charges.

The two women at the center of the trial are a 34-year-old assistant director and a 54-year-old decorator who worked on the set of Les Volets Verts (Green Shutters), a film released in 2022. Also featured in the film were Anouk Grinberg and Fanny Ardant.

The director accused Depardieu of sexual violence, assault, and sexual insults during the filming, after the actor published an open letter in *Le Figaro* in October 2023, stating, «I have never insulted a woman,» and suggesting that he had become a victim of a media «lynching.»

Six months ago, the investigative website Mediapart published allegations of sexual assault by the actor from over a dozen women, some dating back to the early 2000s. In total, nearly 20 women have accused him of violence and inappropriate behavior, though several cases were dropped due to the expiration of criminal prosecution deadlines.

Grinberg has supported the two women, saying that Depardieu made numerous «inappropriate remarks» during the filming in Paris.

The trial was originally scheduled for October last year but was postponed due to Depardieu’s ill health. At the time, his lawyer, Jérémie Assus, stated that the actor had undergone heart bypass surgery, and his diabetes had worsened due to the stress of the upcoming trial.

Since then, he has been examined by a court-appointed doctor, who has deemed him fit to appear in court. However, the hearings will be limited to six hours per day, and he will be allowed to take breaks if necessary.