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French Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak said on France 5
television she had asked the "grande chancellerie" committee in
charge of the Legion d'Honneur - France's highest decoration -
to start a disciplinary procedure to review whether the medal
should be suspended or withdrawn.
Abdul Malak said she was "disgusted" by comments made by
Depardieu, one of France's most famous actors, during a 2018
trip to North Korea and broadcast in a "Complement d'Enquete" TV
documentary on France 2 earlier this month.
"Shocking comments ... bringing shame on France," she said.
Depardieu has been the focus of a string of accusations of
sexism and sexual violence in recent years.
In March 2022, a Paris court ruled it would press ahead with an
investigation into Depardieu after an actress accused him of
rape. Charlotte Arnould had revealed that she was the woman
behind the accusation, saying that she could not bear to remain
silent any longer. Since then, more than 10 women have accused
Depardieu of sexual violence.
Depardieu, through his lawyer, has previously "firmly rejected"
the accusations.
In an Oct. 2 letter published in French daily Le Figaro,
Depardieu denied all blame.
"Never, absolutely never, have I abused a woman," he wrote.
Depardieu has starred in scores of French-language movies,
rising to prominence in 1974 with "Going Places", and gaining
international recognition with a starring role in the 1990
English-language comedy "Green Card". He won a Golden Globe best
actor award for that role.
His performance in the French-language "Cyrano de Bergerac" that
same year won him the award for best male performance at the
Cannes film festival, and a nomination in the best leading actor
category at the 1990 Academy Awards.
(Reporting by Geert De Clercq, Editing by Rosalba O'Brien)
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