Cannes 2025: French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy banned due to rape allegations

Posted On May 15, 2025May 15, 2025

French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy has been banned from walking the red carpet at Cannes Film Festival due to rape allegations.

Navarro-Mussy stars in Dominik Moll’s Dossier 137, which is set to premiere in competition on May 15th; however, he will not be permitted to walk the red carpet. He is the first actor in the history of the Cannes Film Festival to be banned from doing so due to allegations of this nature.

He has been accused of “rape, physical and psychological violence” by three former partners. While a court dismissed the complaints by the alleged victims last month, they plan on pursuing the claims in a civil case.

The incidents allegedly took place in 2018, 2019 and 2020. In a statement, Dossier 137 producers Caroline Benjo and Carole Scotta told Variety: “Even though the alleged facts largely predate the production of the film, we decided with the festival management that the person in question would not accompany the film to Cannes, out of respect for the plaintiffs and for the victims’ word, and without prejudice to the presumption of innocence of the accused.”

They continued: “The management of the Cannes Film Festival has been very clear about not highlighting any person suspected of sexist or sexual violence.”

According to the Hollywood Reporter, Cannes general delegate Thierry Frémaux decided to ban Navarro-Mussy from walking the red carpet. Frémaux told French publication Télérama that the case “remains ongoing” and that the ban would be lifted if he is found not guilty or the case is dismissed.

Frémaux also said producers of movies that are screening at Cannes must ensure the “safety, integrity, and dignity” of the individuals involved in the film. He also noted: “We must act on a case-by-case basis, especially when new elements emerge.”

Earlier this week, French actor Gérard Depardieu was convicted of sexually assaulting two women on a film set in 2021. He was found guilty of groping a set designer and an assistant on the movie Les Volets Verts (The Green Shutters) when they filmed the production in 2021. He denied the allegations.

In addition to receiving an 18-month suspended sentence, Depardieu has also been fined €20,000 (£16,850) and placed on the sex offenders’ list.

In a rare interview, given one day before Depardieu’s conviction, Brigitte Bardot said of the ongoing MeToo movement in French cinema: “People with talent who grab a girl’s bottom are thrown into the bottom of the ditch. We could at least let them carry on living. They can’t live any more.”

For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.

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