Actor Gerard Depardieu has written an open letter to deny claims of rape and sexual assault.

The French star said he had “never, ever abused a woman” and that “hurting a woman would be like kicking my own mother in the stomach”.

Depardieu was charged with rape two years ago after an actress in her 20s said she was attacked by him on two occasions at his home in 2018.

Earlier this year, a French site published claims from 13 other women who worked with Depardieu and said they had experienced inappropriate advances, groping and gestures.

Depardieu previously denied all the claims against him through a lawyer, but has now spoken directly in a letter published in Le Figaro.

In the letter, entitled ‘I finally want to tell you my truth’, he wrote: “A woman came to my house for the first time, walking lightly, going up to my room of her own free will.

“She says today that she was raped there. She came back a second time. There has never been any coercion, violence or protest between us.”

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An initial inquiry against the 74-year-old actor was dropped in 2019 because of lack of evidence, but later revived.

The woman who said she was raped, Charlotte Arnould, has waived her anonymity and previously told French media she had been in “living hell” since the alleged rape.

She also said Depardieu’s alleged inappropriate behaviour on set was well known in the industry.

In his letter, the actor said he had often “pushed limits” on set “to get a laugh” but that it was never his intention to hurt anyone.

The Paris prosecutor is still investigating the rape claim and Depardieu is not in custody.

Depardieu is among France’s most famous stars, known for films such as Cyrano de Bergerac and Jean de Florette – as well as the Hollywood hits Green Card and The Man In The Iron Mask

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