French movie star Gérard Depardieu won’t attend his trial on fees of sexual assault, beginning in Paris this week, and has requested a postponement, citing well being issues.

Depardieu was scheduled to seem in court docket for the trial, set to kick off in Paris on Monday. Two ladies have accused the Inexperienced Card and Cyrano de Bergerac actor of sexual assault associated to alleged occasions on the set of the movie The Inexperienced Shutters in 2021.

Depardieu’s lawyer Jérémie Assous mentioned Monday that his consumer had been suggested by his docs in opposition to attending the listening to in particular person for well being causes. Assous famous that his consumer is “75 years previous and has been a diabetic for 25 years,” including that he has requested a postponement of the trial.

“Gérard Depardieu is extraordinarily upset, and sadly his docs forbid him from attending the listening to, which is why he’ll request an adjournment to a later date in order that he may be current,” Assous mentioned in an interview with RTL France. He added that Depardieu wished to “specific himself” on the details of the case. The French actor denies all fees in opposition to him.

“I anticipate justice to be the identical for everybody and for Mr. Depardieu to not profit from preferential remedy as a result of he’s an artist,” Carine Durrieu-Diebolt, a lawyer for one of many ladies within the case, informed Agence France-Presse.

The Inexperienced Shutters case is the primary of a number of sexual allegations in opposition to Depardieu to go to trial and the listening to is being watched intently because the highest-profile #MeToo-style trial in France of a serious leisure determine.

French actress Charlotte Arnould has additionally accused Depardieu of two acts of rape relationship again to 2018, allegations which are presently working their manner by way of the courts. Final yr the French investigative information website Médiapart revealed detailed allegations from 13 ladies who accused the actor of sexually inappropriate habits. A TV exposé on the investigative present Complément d’Enquête highlighted additional incidents stretching again years.

Depardieu has at all times maintained his innocence and revealed an open letter within the conservative Le Figaro newspaper saying his habits had been misinterpreted.