French actor Samuel Theis, who played the husband of the Sandra Hüller character in the awards-season darling Anatomy of a Fall, has been accused of rape by a male crew member on his new movie, which Theis wrote and directed.
The alleged sexual assault took place during production of the movie Je le Jure (I Swear It), specifically following a cast-and-crew party on July 1, according to the French newspaper Libération.
The crew member — whose first name is given in reports as “Antoine,” presumably a pseudonym — reportedly spent the night in the apartment where the party was held due to his state of inebriation and has alleged he was raped by Theis in the early morning hours when he was still in an intoxicated state and therefore unable to give consent.
Theis, 45, responded to the newspaper by saying the encounter was consensual.
Following the crew member’s accusation last year, the movie’s producers decided to physically remove Theis from the production and have him direct the remainder of the movie remotely.
The accusation is the latest sexual assault scandal to rock the French film world.
Gérard Depardieu faces several of misconduct allegations from women stretching back years. Last month, a number of prominent French celebrities signed an open letter published in Le Figaro expressing their support for the actor and condemning the #MeToo witch hunt.
Among those supporting Depardieu are former French first lady Carla Bruni, as well as actresses Charlotte Rampling and Carole Bouquet – the latter of whom is Depardieu’s former romantic partner.
Anatomy of a Fall, which won the Palme d’Or at last year’s Cannes Film Festival, is expected to be a major contender at this year’s Oscars, though not in the foreign film category due to France’s decision to submit another movie for consideration.
Neon released the movie in the U.S.
Set in the French Alps, Anatomy of a Fall tells the story of a German woman (Hüller) who stands accused of murder after her husband’s body (Theis) is found outside their chalet, presumably from a fall.
Theis has only a small handful of scenes that take place in flashback.
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