Roman Polanski is set to stand trial in France on Tuesday in connection with accusations of defamation made by British actress Charlotte Lewis, who previously accused him of sexual assault in the 1980s.
Polanski, a fugitive from U.S. justice due to a 1977 rape case involving a 13-year-old, faces multiple allegations of sexual assault dating back decades, all of which he denies.
In 2010, Lewis accused Polanski of sexually assaulting her when she was 16 years old during a casting in Paris in 1983. She appeared in Polanski’s film “Pirates” in 1986 and decided to speak out to counter claims by Polanski’s legal team that the 1977 case was an isolated incident.
Following Lewis’s allegations, four other women came forward accusing Polanski of abusing them in the 1970s, three of whom were minors at the time. Polanski, now 90, denies all allegations.
In a 2019 interview with Paris Match magazine, Polanski dismissed Lewis’s accusations as a “heinous lie” and cited quotes from a 1999 article in The News of the World where Lewis allegedly expressed interest in him. Lewis disputed the accuracy of the quotes and filed a defamation complaint, leading to Polanski being charged under French law.
According to Lewis’s lawyer, Benjamin Chouai, Lewis aims to challenge Polanski’s practice of discrediting and defaming individuals.
Polanski’s lawyer, Delphine Meillet, argues that the Paris Match article does not constitute defamation and asserts Polanski’s right to publicly defend himself.
Polanski will not appear in person at the trial.
Despite being a fugitive, Polanski has continued his filmmaking career, with France refusing extradition requests from the U.S. In recent years, he has faced criticism and pressure within France, leading to his removal as president of the César Awards in 2017. While remaining active in film, Polanski has maintained a low profile, with his latest film, “The Palace,” screening at the Venice Film Festival without his presence.
