Gérard Depardieu, the famous French actor known for his roles in The Man in the Iron Mask and The Woman Next Door, has been accused of engaging in a violent altercation with Italian paparazzi photographer Rino Barillari. The incident took place in Rome, where Depardieu allegedly punched Barillari multiple times. The 79-year-old photographer, often referred to as ‘The King of Paparazzi’, claims that he was secretly photographing Depardieu with a woman when the actor noticed and approached him, using profanity before physically attacking him. Barillari intends to report the incident to the police and seek medical attention for his injuries.
According to a statement released by Depardieu’s lawyer, the actor was defending his partner, producer Magda Vavrusova, who was with him at Harry’s Bar on the Via Veneto. Barillari allegedly approached the couple and engaged in aggressive behavior, including pushing and touching Vavrusova while attempting to photograph them. Vavrusova expressed her distress, stating that she was hurt by the photographer’s actions, describing the encounter as extremely violent.
Piero Lepore, the manager of Harry’s Bar, confirmed the incident, revealing that Depardieu did not utter a word before assaulting Barillari and then leaving the scene in a car. The manager expressed shock at the level of violence displayed by the actor, as such altercations are uncommon in the establishment. Gianni Riotta, a columnist for La Repubblica, was present at the restaurant during the incident and witnessed Depardieu repeatedly striking the photographer, resulting in significant bloodshed.
It is worth noting that Barillari, despite being in his seventies, is still an active and respected photographer in the industry. Meanwhile, Depardieu is currently facing sexual assault charges from two different women, which he vehemently denies. The trial for these charges is scheduled for October.
