Charlotte Arnould is a French actress, dancer, and singer who is not well known to the general public, but whose name is now linked to one of the most publicized judicial cases in the artistic community in France. Since 2018, she has accused the famous actor Gérard Depardieu of raping her, an accusation that has led to a long legal battle.
The turning point in this case came in August 2024, when the Paris prosecutor’s office requested the opening of a trial for rape and sexual assault against Gérard Depardieu, thus ending several years of complex and highly publicized procedures. This decision follows the initial complaint filed by Charlotte Arnould in 2018, followed by her becoming a civil party in 2020, which led to the reopening of the investigation. Depardieu was indicted in December 2020, an indictment confirmed in March 2022 despite his attempts to appeal.
Before being at the center of this case, Charlotte Arnould had a promising artistic career. Born on November 28, 1995, in Aix-en-Provence, she was raised in the Jura, after her family moved to Port-Lesney. She began dancing at the age of five. She trained at the Conservatoire de Chalon-sur-Saône and then at the Conservatoire de danse de Paris, where she also studied piano. In 2016, she was revealed to the public by her participation in the play Passion directed by Fanny Ardant, a close associate of Depardieu, at the Théâtre du Châtelet. This experience pushed her to pursue acting, and she joined the Laboratoire de l’acteur directed by Hélène Zidi, where she honed her skills for three years.
Alongside her theatrical career, Charlotte Arnould appeared in several short films and television series, including L’Art du crime in 2019. She is also active in voice dubbing for series broadcast on Netflix.
In 2021, amid the media storm related to the Depardieu case, Charlotte Arnould took a stand by performing in the play Sœurcières at the Festival d’Avignon. This show, which addresses women’s rights and sisterhood, marks her commitment against violence towards women, a commitment undoubtedly strengthened by the trials she claims to have endured.
In December 2023, she testified in the documentary La Chute de l’ogre, broadcast as part of the show Complément d’enquête, where she recounted the events that led her to file a complaint against Gérard Depardieu. This testimony highlights the psychological repercussions of the sexual violence she claims to have suffered and her determination to seek justice.
Charlotte Arnould, beyond her artistic career, has become a face of the fight against sexual violence in France. While awaiting the trial, she continues to fight for her voice, and those of other victims, to be heard. The much-anticipated decision of the justice system will soon shed light on the reality of the facts.