French authorities are investigating the suicide of a distraught actress who accused controversial film star Gerard Depardieu of sexual misconduct.
Emmanuelle Debever, 60, is believed to have jumped from a Paris bridge into the River Seine after disappearing from her home more than a week earlier – and died on the same day French TV aired a scathing documentary about Depardieu’s string of sexual abuse claims.
“In the media, it has been reported that the actress has complained of inappropriate behavior by Gerard Depardieu,” French prosecutors said in a statement, the BBC reported.
“Given this new element, an investigation into the cause of his death has been opened,” the statement said.
The actor has not been charged with a crime.
Debever appeared in films and TV shows in France in the 1980s, and claimed in a 2019 Facebook post that Depardieu groped her while the two were filming “Danton,” in which the actress portrayed the famous actor’s second wife, according to the outlet .
French actress Emmanuelle Debever, who died by suicide last week, alleged that controversial film star Gerard Depardieu groped her while they were filming together in 1982, an allegation in a string of lawsuits against Depardieu.
“The superstar indulged himself during the shoot,” he wrote online. “Make the most of privacy in the carriage. By tucking her legs under my skirt, it’s better to feel me wake up.”
Debever’s partner told police that the actress disappeared from their home after leaving a “disturbing” note. Police later found Debever in the river and took him to a local hospital, where he died on December 7.
On the same day, France 2 TV aired a documentary on allegations of sexual abuse by the 74-year-old actor, including new allegations by actress Charlotte Arnould, who sued Depardieu alleging that the “Cyrano de Bergerac” actor raped her in 2018.
The documentary prompted several figures in the French film industry to distance themselves from the actor, and the country’s TV network pulled back the screening of his film after Debever’s death.
Debever’s allegations are not covered in the documentary, which claims Depardieu has harassed and sexually assaulted 16 different women over the years.
French actor Gerard Depardieu, 74, has been surrounded by allegations of sexual misconduct and even rape. He denied them. AP
The actor has long been shrouded in sexual misconduct allegations and has been under investigation since Arnould filed his claim in December 2020.
He has appeared in more than 200 films, including the 1990 film “Green Card,” a romantic comedy with Andie McDowell that enjoyed some success in the US.
Depardieu has repeatedly denied the allegations against him.
“All my life, I was provocative, excessive, sometimes rude,” he said in an open letter to Le Figaro in October. “I often do what others dare not do – test the limits, shake up received wisdom.
“But I am not a rapist or a predator,” he wrote. “Never, I have abused women. To the court of the media, to the death sentence that has been reserved for me, I have only words to defend myself.”
Depardieu has not commented publicly on the France 2 documentary or Debever’s death.
With Postal wire.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline 24/7 at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.
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Source: thtrangdai.edu.vn/en/
