French actor Gerard Depardieu has begun giving evidence on the second day of his trial on sexual assault charges, saying: “I won’t hide, it’s hard.”
The 76-year-old Oscar nominee said it was “very emotional” for him to be in the Paris court, answering charges of assaulting two women on a film set in 2021.
He has denied any wrongdoing.
But the French screen star acknowledged to the court that his behaviour is regarded by some as boorish.
“I’ve always been told I have a Russian nature, I don’t know if it’s because of the drinking or the vulgarity,” he said.
But he said he is not a predator. “I’m not touching the butts of women,” he said.
Depardieu is accused of groping a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant during filming in 2021 of Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters).
“I understand perfectly if she’s a bit upset,” he said of the set dresser he worked with.
He acknowledged that he sometimes uses heated language, telling the court: “I am capable of trash talk.”
And he admitted that he was wrong to use such language with the woman when they had an on-set argument about a painting.
“I don’t have to talk like that, get angry like that, voila,” he said.
Depardieu acknowledged that he did “grab the hips” of the set dresser during their argument on set about whether a painting was good or bad art.
But he said his gesture had not been ill-intentioned and argued that she had not appeared offered, saying: “She didn’t answer as if I was assaulting her.”
The actor faces up to five years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros (£62,000) if convicted.
