Actor Gérard Depardieu will not appear in a French court for his trial on sexual assault charges

Associated Press

PARIS (AP) — French actor Gérard Depardieu’s lawyer says his client won’t appear before a criminal court in Paris where he was set to go on trial Monday over the alleged sexual assaults of two women on a film set in 2021. Depardieu’s lawyer said his client suffers health issues. The 75-year-old Depardieu, long seen as a national icon in France, is accused of having committed sexual assaults “with violence, coercion, surprise or threat.” He has previously denied any wrongdoing. French prosecutors say victims reported that the actor had trapped them between his legs and groped them. The trial is scheduled as France continues to reckon with sexual violence in the wake of the #MeToo movement. The court is to decide on Monday whether to postpone or not the trial.