French Actress Emmanuelle Debever’s Apparent Suicide Sparks Investigation Into Depardieu Misconduct Allegations
By Jorge Fitz-Gibbon
Published Dec. 14, 2023, 10:46 p.m. ET
French authorities are investigating the apparent suicide of actress Emmanuelle Debever, who had accused movie star Gerard Depardieu of sexual misconduct. The 60-year-old actress is believed to have jumped from a Paris bridge into the River Seine after disappearing from her home more than a week earlier.
Debever’s death on the same day that French TV aired a documentary about a string of sex abuse claims against Depardieu has prompted authorities to look into the cause of her death.
“In the media, it has been reported that the actress had complained of inappropriate behavior by Gerard Depardieu,” French prosecutors said in a statement. “In view of this new element, an investigation into the cause of her death has been opened.”
Debever claimed in a 2019 Facebook post that Depardieu groped her while the two were filming the movie “Danton” in 1982, in which she portrayed the famous actor’s young second wife.
The documentary aired on the same day of Debever’s death showcased claims of sexual abuse by the actor, prompting several figures in the French movie industry to distance themselves from him. Debever’s partner told police that the actress went missing from their home after leaving a “worrying” note. She was later found in the river and rushed to a local hospital, where she died on Dec. 7.
Depardieu, who has appeared in more than 200 movies, has repeatedly denied the allegations against him, including those made by Debever.
“I am not a rapist or a predator,” he wrote in an open letter to Le Figaro in October. “Never, ever have I abused a woman. To the media court, to the lynching that has been reserved for me, I have only my word to defend myself.”
Debever’s claims were not addressed in the documentary, which alleged that Depardieu has harassed and sexually assaulted as many as 16 different women over the years.
Depardieu has not publicly commented on the France 2 documentary or Debever’s death.
If you are struggling with suicidal thoughts, you can dial the 24/7 National Suicide Prevention hotline at 988 or go to SuicidePreventionLifeline.org.