The statue of French actor Gérard Depardieu was removed from the itinerary of the Grévin Museum in Paris on Monday, AFP learned from the management of the “wax pantheon of celebrities”.
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The decision to withdraw was made “in view of the negative reactions from visitors”. [passant devant le personnage de cire de l’acteur, NDLR]as well as on our social networks,” said this source.
The recent broadcast of a report about the actor on France 2's Complément d'investigation program caused a shockwave with international repercussions. In these images, Gérard Depardieu, who has been accused of rape since 2020 after denying allegations, makes misogynistic and offensive comments when addressing women.
At the end of last week, the actor of 1492: Christopher Columbus was stripped of the National Order of Quebec and his title of honorary citizen of the municipality of Estaimpuis (Belgium).
In France, Culture Minister Rima Abdul Malak announced on Friday a disciplinary procedure for the Order of the Legion of Honor that could lead to its revocation. The former holy monster of French cinema responded the next day through his lawyers that he was making this prestigious award “at the disposal” of the minister.
Gérard Depardieu's family then denounced “a cabal” in a column in the Journal du Dimanche and particularly complained about a “collective anger” against the actor.
The Grévin Museum was founded in 1882 on the initiative of the journalist Arthur Meyer, founder of Le Gaulois, an influential daily newspaper at the time, and welcomes 800,000 visitors every year, mostly families with children.
The wax statues of 250 historical and contemporary personalities are presented there. Gérard Depardieu opened his wax double in 1981.