Pride or shame of the nation? Actor Depardieu himself involves Macron in his affair, two men accused of IS war crimes in Germany

France is asking itself: Is Gérard Depardieu still the country’s pride – or increasingly its shame? French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak recently said that Depardieu may be one of the greatest French actors, but with his sexist and violent performances he is now “a disgrace to the nation.”

It refers to increasingly numerous accusations against the screen hero. Fifteen women, most of them from the film industry, have independently accused him of sexual abuse; three women have filed rape charges against him. Depardieu, who turns 75 in a few days, denies all allegations but apologized for his behavior in an open letter in October.

A television report from the channel France 2 went even further last week: Depardieu is filmed making rows and rows of openly obscene statements. He says to a woman: “I weigh 124 kilos. And with an erection 126.”

The family of the actor, winemaker and businessman, including the famous daughter Julie Depardieu (50), is almost the only one who defends him by adhering to the presumption of innocence. However, the Parisian media are disappointed and even shocked by the character actor, who has already played Columbus, Cyrano de Bergerac and Obelix and made film history with ‘1900’, ‘The Freaked Out’ and ‘The Last Metro’. The Musée Grévin wax museum has removed the figure of Depardieu.

This week, however, the suspect received very prominent support. President Emmanuel Macron spoke out in a television program against the ‘manhunt’ for him. “There is one thing I will never participate in, and that is manhunts,” he emphasized. “I detest it.” He was previously “a great admirer of Gérard Depardieu,” the president said. «He made France, our great authors and personalities known all over the world. He made France proud.”

Why was Macron so decisive?

That was the exact opposite of the assessment of his Minister of Culture. The head of state felt they had “dared a little too much” when they talked about withdrawing Depardieu’s Legion of Honor. As guardian of this distinction, he does not intend to deny Depardieu the Legion of Honor as long as he is not convicted.

Political commentators are perplexed as to why Macron, who likes to take balanced positions, is so clearly behind the repeatedly accused film icon. Because he had recently spoken to her on the phone, as acquaintances reported on Friday? Or because he had a fight with Abdul Malak? Regardless, numerous feminists on social media say Macron’s statement is “a slap in the face to the victims” of Depardieu’s behavior. (aargauerzeitung.ch)