French actor Gérard Depardieu on trial: Who is his girlfriend Magda Vavrusova?

On Monday 24 March, the long-awaited trial of Gérard Depardieu, accused of sexual assault by several women, started in Paris. It's a serious case that is damning one of the biggest names in French cinema. Yet amid all the turmoil, one woman still stands by his side: Magda Vavrusova.

For eight years, she has been in actor's life, and has never ceased to support him, both publicly and behind the scenes. Although unknown to the general public, she is by no means a stranger to the world of cinema.

Magda Vavrusova: the unfailing support of Gérard Depardieu

Magda Vavrusova is of Czech origin and has worked in film production for many years, both in France and internationally. Her CV, spotted on IMDb, is impressive: she took part in the production of the films Babylon A.D. (with Vin Diesel), The Zookeeper's Wife (with Jessica Chastain) and Tout le monde debout (a popular French film with Alexandra Lamy and Franck Dubosc).

It was on a film set in 2007 that she met Gérard Depardieu for the first time. Fate brought them together again ten years later, and this time there was a spark. On X (formerly Twitter), she recounted their meeting and described the actor in words as tender as they were frank:

I fell in love with a man who is unique, human, insolent, vulgar, provocative, excessive, extraordinarily cultured... but above all free.

And in the face of the accusations against him, she is not giving up:

Gérard is not alone. He has us, his family and mine, and all those who still believe in justice.

Gérard Depardieu's high-profile relationships

Gérard Depardieu has long made the headlines for his film roles... but also for his love affairs. In 1970, he married actress Élisabeth Guignot, with whom he had two children: Guillaume, who died in 2008, and Julie, also an actress.

In 1992, he became the father of a third child, Roxane, with Karine Silla. Then came his relationship with Carole Bouquet, from 1996 to 2005, one of the most glamorous couples in French cinema at the time. After her, Hélène Bizot entered his life. Together they had a son, Jean, born in 2006. The last person who was romantically involved with the actor before Magda Vavrusova? Clémentine Igou, a former student at Harvard.

Since 2017, he has been living with Magda, far from prying eyes amid the legal storm he now finds himself in.

Gérard Depardieu's trial: Chilling new testimony

Gérard Depardieu's trial is taking place against an already tense backdrop. A few days before the hearing, three new testimonies have emerged. Three women, three stories, three eras, but one constant: behaviour described as inappropriate, even violent. Aurélie Dauchez, a former Prada sales assistant, recounts a scene from 2007 in which the actor verbally and physically assaulted her in the shop. He allegedly told her, while moving his hand up her dress:

I touch it, I eat it, I suck it.

As for Constance, she was only 23 when the incident took place in 1985. She explained:

I didn't know what to do.

Finally, journalist Marie Dalibon recalls a shoot in Israel in 2014, where the famous actor, who still holds his Medal of Honour, allegedly tried to slide his hands up her skirt. The actor denies all these allegations, but the courts are preparing to examine them in detail.

This article has been translated from Oh!MyMag FR.

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Sources used:

The Guardian: Gérard Depardieu appears in Paris court for trial on sexual assault charges

AP News: Gerard Depardieu sexual assault trial marks a cultural reckoning for post-#MeToo France