Evoking genius to defend ‘dark stars’ like Gérard Depardieu looks terribly French – and it is | Agnès Poirier

Accusations of rape against the actor have divided the nation, with some referring to him as the last monstre sacre'

On 20 December, during a 135-minute-long interview on French television, dedicated to topics such as the new law on immigration, the future bill on assisted dying, the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict, Emmanuel Macron was asked about Gerard Depardieu. France's president could have chosen to be cautious and not comment on a case that has divided France. It would probably have been wiser to have remained silent, but Macron doesn't do caution; he speaks his mind.

You will never see me taking part in a manhunt," he said. As for stripping the actor of the Legion d'honneur, a procedure recently started by his culture minister Rima Abdul Malak, Macron replied, looking straight at the interviewer: The order of the Legion d'honneur is not a moral order." His culture minister had got ahead of herself". Macron talked about his admiration for the actor, adding that Depardieu had made France proud". The backlash was immediate.

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