Judging that the words and attitude of Gérard Depardieu brought “shame” to his country, the French Minister of Culture, Rima Abdul-Malak announced on Friday that a “disciplinary procedure” would be initiated concerning the Legion of Honor of the French actor, targeted by two complaints for rape and sexual assault.
“A Legion of Honor distinguishes a man, an artist, an attitude, values. It turns out that I spoke with the Grand Chancellor of the Legion of Honor, General Lecointre: a council of the order of the Legion of Honor will meet and will initiate a disciplinary procedure to decide whether this Legion of honor must be suspended or not, withdrawn completely or not. It will be up to them to decide,” Rima Abdul-Malak said on public channel France 5.
Gérard Depardieu received the Legion of Honor from French President Jacques Chirac in 1996.
Created by Emperor Napoleon Ier at the beginning of the 19th centurye century, this distinction rewards civilians and soldiers for their actions and services rendered to France. Many artists are awarded it.
The code of the Legion of Honor provides for the French that “behavior contrary to honor” can lead to reprimand, suspension or exclusion from the order.
For foreigners, only one measure is planned, that of “withdrawal”. It is then the subject of a decree signed by the President of the Republic, Grand Master of the order.
In 2017, Emmanuel Macron, for example, initiated this disqualification process against Harvey Weinstein, accused of sexual assault and rape. The American producer was made a knight of the Legion of Honor by Nicolas Sarkozy in March 2012.
Refusal of “cancel culture”
“Obviously, Gérard Depardieu will be able to provide contradictory elements” during this procedure “but I understand that it can be done. It is important to open this question,” underlined Rima Abdul-Malak, who however refuses any form of “cancel culture” against cinematographic works in which the 74-year-old French actor appears.
“I think we have to continue to see the films in which Gérard Depardieu starred, we are not going to stop watching his films. On the other hand, I don’t believe that today anyone wants to have an evening tribute or celebration to Gérard Depardieu. We are not going to remove his films from our heritage, not at all! », further indicated Mme Abdul-Malak.
Traveling to Moissac (southwest of France) earlier in the day, the minister declared that the actor’s comments and attitude during a trip to North Korea in 2018 were “shameful to France “.
In these images revealed by a report from the investigative show Further investigation broadcast on the public channel France 2 at the beginning of December, the sacred monster of French cinema multiplies misogynistic and insulting remarks while addressing women, not sparing a little girl from his obscene remarks.
“In this report, his attitude is intended to be joking, provocative, but [elle] is in fact quite disrespectful, unworthy and shameful to France,” she added, “disgusted.”
Gérard Depardieu has been indicted since 2020 for rape, following a complaint from an actress, Charlotte Arnould.
Concomitantly with the diffusion of Further investigationa second complaint for sexual assault was filed by the actress Hélène Darras, for facts a priori prescribed, dating back to 2007 on a set.
The actor denies these accusations.