Actor Gérard Depardieu has to hand out another award. The Belgian village of Estaimboe stripped him of his honorary citizen title on Saturday. This decision is the result of comments made by the French actor in a recent documentary.
Depardieu was made an honorary citizen of the city ten years ago in recognition of his impressive career as an actor. “The comments he made are contrary to the values of the municipality of Estimembwe,” said the mayor of Estimbwe, Daniel Senciel.
In the recent documentary Depardieu: The Fall of the Ogre The actor was photographed during a trip to North Korea. He repeatedly makes inappropriate sexual comments, including comments about a young girl. In the wake of the documentary, he actually lost an award from the French-speaking province of Quebec in Canada.
French Minister of Culture Rima Abdel Malik announced on Friday that an investigation is currently underway into whether Depardieu can retain the prestigious French Legion of Honor award. The actor has now announced through his lawyer that he has made the National Award “available” to the minister.
Depardieu, 74, has been accused of sexual assault by at least 14 women from the French film world. One actress says she was raped by him. The actor has denied all the accusations so far.
His relatives say he is wise
Depardieu’s family claims there is an “unprecedented conspiracy” against the actor. In a letter published on Sunday in the French newspaper Le Journal du Dimanche, several family members are speaking out about the issue. Also among them is actress Julie Depardieu, Gérard’s daughter.
“Of course we are often shocked by Gerard’s statements, but our father/grandfather/uncle is the target of an unprecedented conspiracy,” the letter said. “In private with his children he is very humble, sensitive and even a bit modest.”