The actress who accused Gerard Depardieu of sexualized violence committed suicide

Actress Emmanuelle Debever, who accused Gérard Depardieu of sexualized violence, has committed suicide. The French newspaper Liberation reports this. Debever died on December 7th. On the same day, France 2 broadcast a documentary about the accusations against Depardieu. The cause of death has not been reported. Emmanuel Debever was 60 years old.

Emmanuelle starred with Depardieu in the 1982 film Danton, but later disappeared from view at the peak of her fame. In 2019, she made accusations against her partner on the set.

"During this filming, the "sacred monster" (as Depardieu is called for his contribution to the French film industry, along with scandalous fame and resonant antics. - Ed.) there was a lot to do. He took advantage of the privacy of his van. He put his big paw under my skirt to make it easier for me to speak. “I don’t allow this to be done to myself,” said Debever.

Depardieu denied her accusations, claiming that he did nothing of the kind. He told French newspaper Le Figaro that he “never insulted a woman.” "I can no longer agree with what I hear, with what I have been reading about myself for months. Finally I want to tell you my truth. I have never, ever abused a woman. Offending a woman is like kicking your own mother in the stomach,” said the actor.

Actress Charlotte Arnould first brought accusations of rape against Depardieu. In 2018, she stated that she turned to Depardieu, who was a longtime friend of her father, for acting advice. During classes, the actor raped her twice in his Parisian mansion. However, the case was not prosecuted. She was supported by other victims of his harassment - about 13 people.

Previously, Médiapart published an investigation that collected testimony indicating sexual violence by the actor against female colleagues from 2004 to 2022 and during the filming of eleven films. The actor himself denies all accusations.

In 2012, Depardieu renounced his French citizenship to protest a tax on the richest, and soon after received Russian citizenship. At the same time, he condemned the Russian military special operation in Ukraine, but stated that he continues to consider himself “Russian.”