Depardieu has had enough. "I finally want to tell you the truth"

74-year-old Gérard Depardieu is undoubtedly an icon of French cinema. The outstanding actor has never had too good of a reputation, but the French have turned a blind eye to his behavior, especially towards women, over the years. However, his love for Putin (which he seems to have finally outgrown) has been a turning point in the perception of the star.

"The whole Gérard!" - this is what actresses who were paying attention to the ambiguous behavior of the movie star frequently heard. 13 women have just accused Depardieu of molesting them on the sets of films and series between 2004-2022. He allegedly made inappropriate propositions and gestures clearly suggesting his intentions.

Finally, a charge of rape involving actress Charlotte Arnould also surfaced in court. The case has been ongoing for several years and is becoming an increasingly bigger problem for Gérard Depardieu. That's why the actor has decided to break his silence and, in relation to "accusations of rape and sexual assault," he addressed the matter in an open letter to "Le Figaro" newspaper titled "I want to finally tell you the truth".

"I can no longer allow what I hear, what I've been reading about myself for several months. I thought it didn't bother me, but no, actually it does. It all gets to me. Worse, it's killing me" – began Depardieu.

The French actor, in an open letter to the newspaper, primarily addressed the accusations of rape directed at him. Not mentioning Arnould by name, he stated: "The woman first came to my house lightly, entering my room of her own free will. Today she claims she was raped there. But she came for the second time."

"There was never any coercion, violence, or protests between us. She wanted to sing Barbara's songs with me at the 'Cirque d’Hiver'. I told her no... She filed a complaint. (...) Hurting a woman would be like kicking my own mother in the stomach" - Depardieu continued.

On Monday, Arnould's lawyer, Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, stated that she is "shocked and appalled" by this letter. "Mr. Depardieu claims that he exposes his truth, but it is certainly not Charlotte's truth and it definitely will not be upheld by courts" - she said.