French actor Gérard Depardieu could lose his title of Knight of the National Order of Quebec for making demeaning comments towards women.
The news, first reported by 98.5 FM on Tuesday morning, was confirmed in the afternoon by the Ministry of Executive Council (MCE), which reports directly to Prime Minister Legault.
The Council of the National Order of Quebec will investigate the Gérard Depardieu case as quickly as possible, the MCE told Radio-Canada.
The ministry said the allegations against the French actor and his statements were as disturbing as they were shocking, not to mention that they damaged the reputation of members of the National Order of Quebec.
According to our sources, Prime Minister Legault would be of the opinion that the knighthood awarded to Gérard Depardieu in 2002 should be withdrawn. However, he would await the council's recommendation before taking formal action.
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Gérard Depardieu was awarded the National Order of Quebec in 2002 by then Prime Minister Bernard Landry. The French actor was left with a swollen eye, a remnant of a motorcycle accident that had occurred a few days earlier.
Photo: The Canadian Press / RYAN REMIORZ
Gérard Depardieu has become increasingly radioactive, especially since his accusation of rape in 2020, after the then twenty-year-old actress Charlotte Arnould filed a complaint. And the images broadcast last week only added fuel to the fire.
The sequence was filmed five years ago during a trip to North Korea and shows the sacred monster of French cinema repeating misogynistic and offensive remarks while addressing women and not sparing a little girl with his obscene remarks.
At the same time, the actress Hélène Darras filed a second complaint of sexual assault against him, based on a priori established facts that took place during filming in 2007.
The law provides for the government to remove a member from the National Order of Quebec. This power lies with the Prime Minister. However, this requires a corresponding recommendation from the Council of the National Order of Quebec, an independent body consisting of nine people.
However, such a gesture remains extremely rare.
In 2021, Quebec suspended the appointment of Ali Nestor as a Knight of the National Order of Quebec while it took some time to see whether the assault and sexual assault lawsuit filed against him by his ex-spouse would be upheld. He was acquitted in 2022 and his name is now on the register.
Actor Edgar Fruitier, who was knighted in 2008, resigned from the order after allegations of indecent assault were made against him, for which he was sentenced to six months in prison. The film ends in 2021.
With information from Sébastien Bovet
The report by Nabi-Alexandre Chartier