#euro actress

[euro-venus]

Catherine Spaak

[ladamarossa]

Supernatural (1981)

[wreckedandpolemic]

renting out a cute beachside cottage with matty and having ur own little steamy getaway farrrr away from paps and social media <3 so so perfect

does anyone remember actress!au i think this would be a good little moment for her. anyways, this would be soo lovely like imagine you’ve just come off a press tour and you need to decompress so you don’t obsessively stalk your indirects and matty has to gently prise your phone from your grip. not that that’s happened four times in as many hours, or anything. “right,” he declares after the fifth time twitter almost brings you to tears. “you need a break, darling.”

he won’t tell you where you’re going beyond that it’ll be warm, secluded and you should bring a swimsuit. so, naturally, you take that to mean you should bring as little fabric as possible. the pretty little stone cottage sits on the south coast of france, a private beach tucked up against the back garden, and you melt into matty’s arms as he brings you to the door. “it’s perfect,” you grin, letting him palm your ass through your little white sundress. both of you agree to unplug for a week, and you only mourn your drafts a little when he makes you uninstall twitter completely.

matty ogles you shamelessly as you change into a white bikini that’s more string than anything else, dragging him by the arm to the beach. you don’t even bring a book, content to just lay in the sun and gaze into his pretty, honey-brown eyes while you talk about nothing. the sun warms your skin, the cocktail in your hand cool as you sip slowly at it, and you roll onto your front with a soft smile. “can you help me? i can’t reach my back,” you say, teasing and innocent, moaning gratuitously as matty works the suncream into your skin.

“gotta stop making those noises, darling. making it so hard for me to control myself.” his fingers trace gently over your cunt through your bikini, and you squirm.

“maybe i don’t want you to.” you roll back over, supine, and pull your top off, kneading at your bare tits under the guise of applying suncream.

matty growls, pulling you on top of him and licking hungrily into your mouth. “needy little girl, yeah? want me to fuck you out here where anyone could see?” you nod helplessly, moaning as he slides his thick, rough fingers into you and sets a brutal pace. “gotta open you up, get you all fucking wet and messy for me before you take my cock, okay? just relax, i’ll take care of you.”

[bluebunnyvk]

The cast of 23.5 degrees 🌎☀️

[idasessions]

Renate Reinsve and Sandra Hüller attending Fashion Week in Paris on March 5th, 2024.

[theomenmedia]

Remembering Michelle Trachtenberg’s unforgettable roles in Harriet the Spy, Buffy, EuroTrip, & Gossip Girl!

Remembering Michelle Trachtenberg’s unforgettable roles in Harriet the Spy, Buffy, EuroTrip, & Gossip Girl—pure joy, levity, & life lessons. Her legacy shines on.

Here's our ode to the untimely departed star: https://www.theomenmedia.com/post/remembering-michelle-trachtenberg-how-her-iconic-roles-lit-up-our-lives-with-joy-and-wisdom

[turnupthemusicinmylife]

NEW VLOG! 💡

Week in my life vlog #327 A last-minute acting job & not doing too well... 🎬 💬

[meazalykov]

that's a wrap

alex popp x actress!reader

summary: you decide that it is time to become a full-time wife

in the golden glow of the los angeles twilight, you gaze out of your sleek penthouse window, the city sprawling beneath you like a living canvas painted with vibrant hues of orange and deepening blue. 

you have lived in this city for so long, your life woven into the cinematic fabric. from the moment you left germany as a child, your heart yearned for a stage—the bright lights of hollywood, the echo of applause, and the thrill of storytelling. 

you have become one of the most recognized actresses of your generation in the horror genre. an oscar at nineteen, an emmy at twenty-three, and countless nominations and awards have been attached to your name. 

with each role you’ve played, your name becomes tied to brilliance, embodying strength and vulnerability.

yet, as your career flourishes, an unsettling feeling begins to simmer beneath the surface—a whisper of change, a longing for something different. 

at thirty-one, you find a different kind of love is beckoning from across the ocean.

alex, your wife and the fierce striker for wolfsburg, has always been your anchor. mutual friends introduced you to her back in 2014, and due to your career you couldn’t take things seriously at first. however, alex always tried with you. you’ve been married to her now for four years, and its been the best four years of your life.

one day, when you came back to germany for a couple of months, alex wanted to talk to you..

“i’m thinking of retiring from international football,” alex says one evening, her voice steady but laced with a hint of uncertainty. you are nestled together on your plush couch, surrounded by the cozy warmth of your shared home. you sense the gravity of the declaration. 

football has been everything for her—the highs of goals scored, the heartache of losses, the euro wins (and losses), alex loved football more than anything (besides you of course). 

“are you sure?” you ask, searching alex’s emerald-green eyes, which are reflective with both spark and sadness. you remember the times you’ve spent watching matches together, the way she lights up at every goal and every tackle, the intensity that comes alive within her. 

“you’ve worked so hard for this.”

a small smile curls on alex’s lips, her fingers intertwining with yours. 

“i have, and it’s been an incredible journey. but i think it’s time for a change. i want to focus on the club, on my next steps, and… on us.” she pauses, laying her head on your shoulder. 

“the idea of retiring feels freeing, like opening a door to something new. but it’s a big step, especially with how much i’ve given to the national team.”

your heart flutters at her words. there it is—the dream of shared life, the possibility of focusing on each other more than your respective careers. but you feel a twinge of your own aspirations weaving into the conversation. 

in recent months, you have found yourself more and more drained by the demands of acting. each press tour and red carpet event feels like a weight; the personas you crafted for the cameras sometimes feel far removed from who you want to be.

your love for acting left years ago, but you’ve never talked about it. millions of people would do anything to have the success that you had, which is why you remained humble when it came to your career.

you bite your lip, contemplating your own path.

“and what about you?” 

you finally speak, your voice soft and contemplative. 

“i mean, i’ve been thinking... maybe it’s time for me to step back, too.”

alex turns her head sharply, a mixture of surprise and concern twisting her features. 

“what do you mean?”

you take a deep breath, your heart racing. 

“i’ve loved acting my whole life. since i was ten years old.. but lately… i don’t know. it feels like there’s something more out there for me. something besides just the next film or the next award. maybe i want to stay here, with you, in germany. support you full-time as you transition.”

“you love what you do,” alex reminds you, concern etched into her expression.

“i do.. i think,” you acknowledge, “but I don’t know if it’s what I want anymore. it’s all so noisy, and sometimes I crave the quiet—the kind I can have with you.” it’s a realization you’ve been wrestling with, the weight of your own dreams now intertwined with the desire to nurture the softness of your domestic life.

at the age of ten, you left germany to be on a famous 2000s sitcom in the united states. not much was known about you, since you were a child playing in a child’s role at the time. you were on the sitcom from the age of ten to seventeen. afterwards, you moved onto movies– which is where you started getting your name plastered with the huge box office hits. 

the following days with alex blur into a blend of introspection and exhilaration. 

you left germany, again, a month after the conversation you had with your wife. 

you are scheduled to appear on a popular late-night show in new york city—a platform that demands your presence but feels like yet another bolt of pressure in the timeline of your life. you look forward to it; yet, somewhere deep down, you wonder how your announcement will change things. 

the thought of standing in front of an audience—centering their gaze on you, waiting for your words—fills you with both excitement and anxiety. it always had. 

as the lights of new york glimmer outside the studio windows, you sit backstage, your heart echoing loudly against your ribcage. the host, a charming figure with a knack for drawing out emotion, greets you with warmth that feels strangely nourishing amidst the crowd’s overwhelming enthusiasm. 

once seated beneath the bright lights, you feel the familiar rush of adrenaline, but this time it’s laced with purpose.

“y/n y/n y/n,” the host smiles, 

“the first time you’ve sat in this chair, you were 13 years old with the cast of that 70s show– you’ve dazzled ussince you were just a child. your transformative performances have captivated audiences worldwide.” 

the host stops talking as the audience claps, you smile, your hands held together in your lap as you sit in a nice black blazer outfit.

“but tonight, we hear you have some news that may surprise your fans.” the host says after the clapping died down.

you clear your throat, feeling the electrifying rush in your veins as you lean forward.

“thank you so much for having me,” you begin, the words flowing as if infused with years of pent-up emotion. 

“ it has been a privilege to do what I love for all these years, but tonight I want to share something personal. after woman of the hour premieres, it will be my last movie you will see me in.” the studio falls silent, the audience holding its breath in disbelief.

“after the film premieres, I will be retiring from acting for good.”

the reactions erupt—gasps, applause, disbelief—as you feel the host’s eyes wide with surprise. you smile gently, eyes twinkling with both sadness and liberation. 

“life changes, and so do we. for me, it’s about stepping back to embrace the next chapter—to support my wife, to explore new passions, to discover who I am outside the roles I’ve played.”

the host nods, admiration shining in his eyes. 

“that’s incredibly brave of you, y/n. how does it feel to step away from something that has defined you for so long?”

“it feels... freeing. and a little scary.” you let out a soft laugh, your heart now racing with vulnerability. 

“but I realized that life is about growing, about finding joy in unexpected places. for me, it’s about my family. we’re at the point where it feels right to re-prioritize what matters.”

your words resonate through the studio, and as your announcement settles, you feel a wave of relief wash over you. the claps and cheers from the audience feel like an embrace. 

this is your decision, not just for you, but for your love, for a future you envision filled with laughter, and quiet evenings.

as soon as the segment concludes and the applause fades, you are flooded with emotion. walking off the stage, you can already envision the life ahead of you in germany, around the comforts of home and the brilliant sun-kissed laughter alongside alex. no more LA, just wolfsburg where your heart belongs. 

you can finally imagine taking long morning walks, exploring new projects, starting fresh hobbies together—whatever you both like at that moment in time.

when you return home to germany that night, alex is waiting for you, a mixture of pride and adoration in her eyes. 

“i saw you,” she whispers as you embrace, her voice tinged with warmth that melts away the lingering uncertainty. 

“you were amazing, love.”

together, you sink into your beloved couch, the world outside shuttered in the nighttime calm. 

“i can’t believe you actually did it,” alex says, a playful rise in her voice. 

“you dropped the bomb.”

you laugh, the warmth blooming in your chest. 

“felt like the right moment.”

“yes,” alex smiles. you feel the flutter of excitement at the thought of so many uncharted territories waiting for you both.

“imagine how lovely it will be,” alex continues, taking your hand between her own. 

“to wake up every day without the rush of schedules, just life… our life.”

“with lots of dogs and the daughter we hope to bring in the next few years,” you tease, knowing the next steps you’ve discussed with your wife.

“how about we start with a little getaway to the mountains next weekend?”

“that sounds perfect,” you declare, her fondness illuminating as you share a kiss, both of you feeling free from the burdens that once held you captive.

masterlist

[euro-venus]

Caterina Valente

[ladamarossa]

Cristina Galbó in Supernatural (1981)

[guzhufuren]

some personal conclusions i made after finishing 23.5

- aylinluna were lovely and hopefully viewjune will get another go in a more grown up gl next year. let them stay weirdos though

- gmmtv has a huge amount of talented actresses and they need to fucking learn how to use them and put more women in series

- gmmtv must give Euro actual queer romance, they gave me a tiny taste of fat gay boy getting loved and i demand more

- Godji and Golf please. adult trans women yuri PLEASE. the world is ready. gmmtv has 2 transfem directors' services available to them, wouldn't that be beautiful?

- while Ton was annoying at times, AJ was incredibly charming and is quite ready to be a lead of his own show. i've been begging for 4 years for a romcom about twins with him and JJ where they would be confusing their boyfriends by swapping or something. i. need. it

- gls are in their stumbling around like a newborn baby deer era and we must be more forgiving towards them because thai bls had over 6 years of testing the waters and gls aren't even on their Theory Of Love/Tharntype stage yet. let creators spread their wings and learn, criticise but still support them

[baddestbittyontheblock]

leah williamson fic recs (1)

you are responsible for the content you consume‼️

𖥔 ۫  obsessed leah williamson x reader

-a fic with soft/smitten leah and her teammates making fun of her for it because she’s usually cold and not emotional or soft.

𖥔 ۫  come back... be here. leah williamson x reader

-Leah would tell anyone who asked that she was fine. She had captained the Lionesses to a European Championship, Arsenal was sitting comfortably at the top of the table, and she was on the cover of British GQ. Leah was fine, great even…until she saw you, camera in hand, looking as beautiful as you did the day she first met you; as beautiful as you did the day she fell in love with you; as beautiful as you did the day you left.

OR a post breakup meeting leaves Leah less than fine (though she’d be kidding herself to think she has been anything but broken since you got on that plane to New York).

𖥔 ۫  take a look at my girlfriend (she's the only one i got) leah williamson x reader

-captain leah is proud of all her accomplishments- but calling you her girlfriend is her favourite

𖥔 ۫  oh baby leah williamson x reader | Leah Williamson x Pregnant Actress!Reader, Reader x Platonic Bestie Austin Butler

-Your relationship with Leah has always been a secret to the public. So, when you’re photographed looking very pregnant and hanging out with your best friend, Austin Butler, the internet assumes he is the father. Leah, already hating Austin, gets jealous and wants to announce to the world that you’re married and expecting your first child together.

𖥔 ۫  traitor leah williamson x reader

-Leah and R have started to pursue a relationship with each other. How long will it take for their fans and teammates who are unaware to catch on? part three, you can find part one and part two here.

𖥔 ۫  hoodie leah williamson x reader

-Leah and Reader’s relationship is still building up together. And more people are catching on.

𖥔 ۫  good girls gone bad leah williamson x reader

-inspired by *that* clip

𖥔 ۫  "a williamson would never wear sky blue." leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  public relations leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  flatline leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  sisterly love leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  bedtime stories leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  "you kissed me." leah williamson x reader

-Running off on the adrenaline of winning the Euro's, Leah decides that she doesn't want to hold back how she feels for her childhood best friend

𖥔 ۫  instagram lives with me leah williamson x reader

-the posts that you and leah share on social media

𖥔 ۫  double support leah williamson x reader | alessia russo x reader

-in which; your girlfriends watch you make your return to chelsea after a long haul of recovery.

𖥔 ۫  reconcile. leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  proudest moment leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  only the beginning leah williamson x reader

-This is a follow up Proudest Moment which you can find here!

𖥔 ۫  It’s All Fun and Games... leah williamson x morgan!reader

𖥔 ۫  setbacks leah williamson x bronze!reader

-The Prequels: Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Part Five

𖥔 ۫  introductions leah williamson x bronze!reader

𖥔 ۫  the reveal leah williamson x bronze!reader

-Part One // Part Two // Part Three // Part Four // Setbacks

𖥔 ۫  hoodie leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  well you were leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫  meeting morgan leah williamson x reader

-Sisterly Love Masterlist

𖥔 ۫  leah williamson blurb. leah williamson x reader

-Whispering jokes/loving words in a lecture/ school/church/a meeting. Trying not to laugh/ flirt back in fear of disturbing everyone else who's trying to pay attention.

𖥔 ۫  face masks and horror films. leah williamson x reader

-soft girlfriend banter

𖥔 ۫  leah williamson blurb leah williamson x reader

-“If we get caught, I’m blaming you” + “…You can’t make out with someone platonically.” 

𖥔 ۫  lessi and leah blurb leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫ “I swear if we get caught I’m actually going to kill you” leah williamson x reader | Fluff mostly, slight sexual references

-Leah’s GF has been busy during her injury period, meaning they’ve been like ships in the night. Reader decides to surprise her at one of her games.

𖥔 ۫ mrs williamson leah williamson x reader

-leah williamson supremecy always, all day every day

𖥔 ۫  ignorance is bliss ficlet leah williamson x reader

-feel free to read the proper full fic that this is a spin off from here

𖥔 ۫  like real people do leah williamson x reader

-a collection of private moments from a relationship between two public figures.

𖥔 ۫  abs leah williamson x reader | SMUT

-you shouldn’t be this distracted by your teammates abs, but its a good thing you are or something between you two never would have happened

𖥔 ۫  how could i ever (treat my baby that way) leah williamson x reader

-You’d think that between the chilly air coming out of the air conditioning in the room and the freezing cold drink in your hand that you’d be comfortably cool, body not overheating despite being in a slightly crowded bar. 

𖥔 ۫  i'm so furious (at you for making me feel this way) leah williamson x reader

-“What? You’re not gonna say ‘hi’?”

𖥔 ۫ first steps leah williamson x reader | fluff, boyfriend!leah, leah's first day back (fully)

-its leah first day running post-acl surgery and she's upset you're not able come, but viv, beth, and laura have a surprise for her

𖥔 ۫ playgirl leah williamson x reader | 18 + minors dni (smut, fingering, cunnilingus,) lots of angst, smut, hurt, fluff, fluffy soft smut

𖥔 ۫ I'd follow you around the world leah williamson x reader

𖥔 ۫ heels leah williamson x reader

-+ the gucci exhibition outfit

-𖥔 ۫ obvious leah williamson x fem!reader | blurb, fluff

-leah thinks she is slick, but she is quite the opposite

-𖥔 ۫ handyman leah williamson x fem!reader

-"-love do you have to stop at every single display room?" leah sighed with a tired smile as you collapsed on yet another sofa you had no intention of buying. "lee it's all a part of the experience! come, sit with me." you patted the brown leather with a beaming grin that leah just couldn't say no to as she wandered over and sat beside you.

-𖥔 ۫ work wife leah williamson x reader

-reader is Leah’s girlfriend and an Aussie or an American but plays for Arsenal and is the same age as less? so Leah requests they befriend less and make her feel welcome but then they become besties and Leah gets all pouty and jealous which reader finds hilarious cause her and less are just friends but she loves to wind Leah up

-𖥔 ۫ i licked it so its mine a.russo x l.williamson x reader

-katie’s story of “I licked it so it’s mine”, inspired a funny crack blurb with Leah x Less x Reader

-𖥔 ۫ all yours leah williamson x reader x lia wälti | fluff, angst, confessions of love, lack of taking care of themselves

-when r finds out that their two bestfriends (and secret crushes) have gotten together on a trip they go into a meltdown of feeling left out and unloved - lw2 sort them out and show them just how loved they are by the two of them

-𖥔 ۫ lucky charms leah williamson x reader

-leah wearing this rly full cross body bag to all the games so far and I’ve just thought how does a girl need so much stuff with her to watch the game?! Maybe a fic where Leah’s gf questions her about the cross body bag, she gets all shy and it turns out she’s carrying something of her gfs (lucky item, fav t shirt etc) to bring luck for the game.

-𖥔 ۫ losing leah williamson x reader

-you’d never felt more heart broken in your life than you did in this moment. Looking out at a crowd of people you didn’t know, a crowd of people that were feeling a fraction of the disappointment you were. You’d collapsed to the grass as soon as the whistle had blown, your heart shattering into a million pieces on the pitch. You’d worked your ass off, your whole team had worked their asses off, and yet you’d still fallen short, it still wasn’t enough.

-𖥔 ۫ asthma attacks leah williamson x reader | sickness angst and heart warming fluff

[aloneandforsakenbyfateandbyman]

So I just finished watching most of the Giallo/horror films Carroll Baker made during her time in Italy from 1967- 1975, and I loved all of them! They all have their own lurid, stylish, and gruesome retro charm.

The first four posters are her film collabs with director Umberto Lenzi, the fifth pic is her on the set of So Sweet, So Perverse with Lenzi and Trintignant, and the last three films were directed by Romolo Guerrieri, Corrado Farina, and Luigi Scattini, who were some of the finest B-movie directors in Europe.

So how did a famous Old Hollywood actress like Carroll Baker ended up filming sleazy Giallos in Italy? As seen in Tarantino’s Once Upon A Time in Hollywood, many American actors would bitch about having to go to Europe for work (aka DiCaprio’s character).

She was blacklisted by creepy producer, Joseph E. Levine, after he tried to control her career with an iron fist, cheat her out of money, and possibly tried to sleep with her for roles. After a divorce and the snub from Hollywood, Carroll made the right move by going to Europe, becoming fluent in Italian, and networking with local directors.

Carroll’s Italian films were panned in the USA, as stuffy Americans film critics saw her venture as a downgrade from working with the likes of Elia Kazan, George Stevens and John Ford. In reality, many Old Hollywood movies seem dated and sterile, whereas Euro cinema of the 60s/70s retains a fresh, artistic, innovative vibe even today and a dedicated cult following.

She said of that period of her career:

"I think I made more films [there] than I made in Hollywood, but the mentality is different. What they think is wonderful is not what we might ... it was marvelous for me because it really brought me back to life, and it gave me a whole new outlook. It's wonderful to know about a different world."

[umseb]

Sebastian Vettel Elected LupoLeo Personality of the Year 2024: "A Great Honor!"

Award presentation on November 23rd in Braunschweig

The youth committee of the LupoLeo Awards has decided: Former racing driver Sebastian Vettel is the LupoLeo "Personality of the Year" 2024. The young people aged 14 to 18 chose the four-time Formula 1 world champion for his diverse social commitment. In addition, the youth committee selected ten projects for the jury's selection of the "Project Award" from the 33 projects that were finally nominated by the non-profit analysis and consulting company PHINEO from the 235 registrations. The prominent jury of the LupoLeo Award, chaired by Dr. Brigitte Mohn (including singer Peter Maffay, former ski racer Felix Neureuther, doctor and television presenter Dr. Eckart von Hirschhausen and television presenter Wolfram Kons), will now choose the three project winners.

The LupoLeo Award, endowed with a total of 100,000 euros, is the largest funding award for commitment to children and young people in Germany, and this year's motto is "For a healthy future for our children and our planet." It will be awarded at a celebratory gala on November 23, 2024 in the Braunschweig State Theater. The "Personality of the Year" category honors a public figure who is committed to children and young people and promotes children's development through their work or appearance. In addition to Sebastian Vettel, the comedian, singer and actress Carolin Kebekus, as well as the chemist, science journalist and YouTuber Mai Thi Nguyen-Kim, were in the final selection for the award, which comes with 20,000 euros in funding. Ultimately the young people chose Vettel, who, after his active career as a racing driver, is increasingly committed to environmental and climate protection. With his V5 Projects he raises awareness and explains to the public the importance of these issues. His commitment includes, for example, projects to protect biodiversity (Buzzin' Corner insect hotels on and outside Formula 1 tracks), or he also addresses the topic of sustainability in motorsport under the campaign name "Race Without Trace." "It is an honor and a pleasure for me to be awarded the LupoLeo Award. Whether at home, at school or in public, more and more children and young people are committed to the earth and their own future. This inspires me as a family man and shows how important our future generations are for us and our planet. Whether healthy oceans, intact forests or the energy transition, I am convinced that we can only master these issues together in a positive and future-oriented manner. And this is exactly what I want to make my contribution," commented Vettel immediately after he heard about his election.

A Worthy Award Winner

"We really had a hard time deciding on a 'Personality of the Year'. All the celebrities, and especially the three finalists, have a great commitment to children and young people with an environmental connection," said Leonardo Massimo, chairman of the youth committee. "Sebastian Vettel uses his fame and is active in many subject areas, which really appealed to us. In our opinion, he is the deserving 'Person of the Year.'" "We are impressed by the commitment of the young people in the committee. They discussed intensively and were all very passionate about it. We congratulate Sebastian Vettel on behalf of the entire LupoLeo Award team on his election. He is a worthy winner," emphasize the two LupoLeo Award initiators, Jürgen Brinkmann (Chairman of the BRAWO GROUP) and Robert Lübenoff (Chairman of the fit4future foundation) together.

[xfreischutz]

Hi, I'm Safaa, a mother of two girls. I'm living through the horrors of war here as you read my message. I'm fighting death and running with my two children, Tin and Naya, from one place to another to save their lives. I'm escaping a real genocide and the spread of diseases and epidemics. My husband is a journalist who was seriously injured in the head and almost killed while covering the events. I sincerely hope you can empathize with our dire situation and consider supporting us. Your generosity has the potential to make a huge difference.

Please donate and/or share 🙏🏻

https://gofund.me/67b7fd56

this campaign is at 22664/35000 euros as of august 14 2024

verification link: #135 on the vetted campaigns spreadsheet (there's a post on her tumblr that mentions it's #44, i think that's an older version of the spreadsheet)

[mlleclaudine]

Adèle Haenel : le cinéaste Christophe Ruggia condamné pour agressions sexuelles sur mineure

by Marine Turchi - Mediapart, February 3, 2025

AP photo by Aurelien Morissard

Five years after the revelations in Mediapart, actress Adèle Haenel has won her case in court.  On Monday February 3, filmmaker Christophe Ruggia was sentenced to four years' imprisonment, including two years under electronic surveillance, for sexual abuse of a 15-year-old minor.

She wanted «justice for this child whom no one protected».  The courts listened to Adèle Haenel when, on Monday February 3, they sentenced Christophe Ruggia to four years' imprisonment, including two years under electronic surveillance.

Closely following the recommendations of the public prosecutor, the Paris Criminal Court found the director guilty of sexually assaulting the actress when she was a minor.  It emphasized that Christophe Ruggia had «taken advantage of the influence» he had over the young actress «as a result of the exclusive relationship» he had established during the filming of Les Diables (2002), in which Adèle Haenel played the lead role.  At the time of the events, from 2001 to 2004, she was between 12 and 15 years old, and he was between 36 and 39.

The court also prohibited the director from working with minors for five years, and ordered him to pay the actress 40,000 euros in compensation for emotional distress and medical expenses, plus 10,000 euros for legal costs.

In his reading of the verdict, the president of the court emphasized the fact that Adèle Haenel had confided in several people close to her, in the years before she spoke out in Mediapart in 2019, but he also mentioned the revelations of people in Christophe Ruggia's entourage at the time.

When the decision was announced, the 35-year-old actress, wearing a grey suit and green shirt, remained stone-faced.  Accompanied by her lawyers, Anouck Michelin and Yann Le Bras, she quickly left the courtroom to lengthy applause from the audience.  She addressed only the «activists» present: «Thank you for being here to advance human rights, and thank you for the support.»

«It's not up to us to be satisfied or dissatisfied with this decision, nor to comment on the severity of the sentence», responded her lawyer, Anouck Michelin, adding: «We recognize the fact that the court found Christophe Ruggia guilty of the charges against him.  That was the key thing, that was what we were fighting for.  And that's what motivates Adèle Haenel today: to hear the court say that she is Christophe Ruggia's victim.»

Through her «deeply moving but more importantly genuine» statement in Mediapart, the actress had «identified a problem of society, of power, of patriarchy», recalled her lawyer, and above all «raised the question of whether justice could be heard for the victims»: «Today, we have a key component of an answer, and if we have to play this game again on appeal, we'll play it again», concluded Mr. Michelin.

There will indeed be a hearing before the Court of Appeal: Christophe Ruggia, who was also present at the deliberations, immediately went to the court clerk's office to appeal the decision.  His lawyer, Fanny Colin, reiterated that his client «maintains that he never touched Adèle Haenel».  «Here, the law of the most powerful, of the one who screams the loudest, of the one who has the unconditional support of public opinion, has crushed the fundamental principle of law, which is the benefit of the doubt.  The court's decision leaves us with the bitter feeling that injustice is preferable to chaos, which Christophe Ruggia's acquittal would have brought about», explained the lawyer as she left the hearing.

On the courthouse steps and in the courtroom, feminist activists, figures from the French #MeToo movement and from the world of cinema, such as actresses Judith Godrèche and Aïssa Maïga, had come to support Adèle Haenel.

Two months earlier, at the end of a very tense trial, the prosecutor, Camille Poch, had asked the court to sentence the filmmaker to two years' detention - which could be carried out via electronic surveillance - to «set the world straight, remind us of the forbidden, and who was the child, who was the adult».  She was referring to Adèle Haenel's words on the Mediapart set in 2019: «If I speak out, it's not to destroy Christophe, it's to set the world straight [...], so that perpetrators stop strutting around and face what they’ve done, so that shame is embedded where it belongs.»

It was in a Mediapart investigation that year that Adèle Haenel recounted, in great detail, the Saturday afternoons she spent at Christophe Ruggia's home, after filming of Les Diables ended in the early 2000s.  The Cadbury Finger blanc cookies and Orangina that the filmmaker always placed on the small table in the living room; the conversations during which he would «go off the rails», according to her; the hands he would slide «under her t-shirt», «on her thigh moving down towards [her] sex» and his kisses «on her neck», which she would try to escape by fleeing from the sofa to the armchair and then to the footrest, «which was so small that he couldn't get close to [her]».

Her story was corroborated by several witnesses’ testimonies, collected by Mediapart and then by the courts from the film's crew, some of whom attested to the director's «hold» over the young actress, and from those close to her, who recounted their «discomfort» at the time or the teenager's attempts to express herself over the years.

But two testimonies from Christophe Ruggia's entourage at the time carried particular weight.  One of Ruggia's former girlfriends, director Mona Achache, recounted the filmmaker's confessions to her in 2011, notably that he had «romantic feelings» for the young actress.  His sister Véronique Ruggia, who was his assistant on the set of Les Diables, confirmed that she had questioned him after a discussion with Adèle Haenel - who had hinted at complaints about his behavior a few years after the fact.

The actress's accusations were also backed up by written documents, such as a letter to Christophe Ruggia, written in 2014 and never sent, in which she denounced the facts in detail and used the word «pedophilia»; or the two letters sent to her by the director in 2006 and 2007, in which he mentioned his «love for [her]», which «was sometimes too much to bear».  Police investigations also uncovered a Google search for «adèle haenel hot» on the filmmaker's computer in 2011 (the actress was 22 at the time) and a manuscript entitled «Adèle Haenel m'a tué» (2019), in which he wrote that «Adèle and her 12 years had an overwhelming sensuality».

Although he conceded a kind of «domination» as a director, and acknowledged that he had «made the mistake of playing Pygmalion», Christophe Ruggia has always denied any sexual abuse and attributed the actress's accusations to a film project that ultimately came to nothing in 2004.

He cultivated this theory of revenge during the hearing in December, while denouncing the «Stalinist trial» in which Mediapart was «the prosecutor»: «I was considered guilty by everyone from the start!  #MeToo was going to happen in France, and it landed on me!   There was a strategy behind it.»

An «absurd defense», dismissed the prosecutor.  On the stand, Adèle Haenel called everyone to account: «But who's the adult?  Who was there to tell this child: “It's not your fault”?»

The court's decision was eagerly awaited.  Firstly, because this case opened the door to the French #MeToo movement, two years after its launch in the United States.  Adèle Haenel's outspokenness in Mediapart caused an upheaval in the film world and in society at large, where the universal scope of her testimony resonated strongly.  The press unanimously hailed it as a «chilling one-hour scream», a «manifesto», a «new and powerful voice» that «reinvigorated the #MeToo movement» and marked a «historic date».

In the five years since, the actress has become the standard-bearer for those who denounce the impunity of sexual abusers, and a symbol of resistance.  In 2020, she walked out of the César ceremony with an iconic «Shame!» to protest the three prizes awarded to Roman Polanski, who has been accused of rape by several teenage girls.  In 2023, she turned her back on the film world in which she had succeeded, to denounce the industry's complacency towards sexual and gender-based violence.  In 2024, at the trial, she never took her eyes off Christophe Ruggia, and pounded her fist on the table when he went so far as to appropriate the new surname she had chosen as a young actress: «Shut the hell up!»

On Monday February 3, the court's decision was also anticipated because of Adèle Haenel's criticism of the judicial system in 2019.  By choosing to address a media outlet rather than the courts, the actress had raised the issue of judicial dysfunction in the handling of complaints of sexual violence, more than two-thirds of which are dismissed.  In Mediapart, she explained that she had never given thought to the justice system, which «rarely condemns sexual abusers», and added, in a phrase that left a lasting impression: «Justice ignores us, so we ignore justice.»

Three days after the Mediapart revelations, the Paris public prosecutor's office opened an investigation.  Adèle Haenel decided not to «back down» and to lodge a complaint: «Justice has taken a step, so I will as well», she told Mediapart.

The judiciary acted swiftly.  Within two months, the investigation, assigned to a unit specializing in child abuse cases, led to Christophe Ruggia’s being held in police custody for forty-eight hours, and then to an indictment for sexual assault of a 15-year-old minor.

Adèle Haenel was aware of this throughout the proceedings: time and resources were devoted to her case, and «competent», «sensitive» police officers and magistrates «who take their jobs to heart» were assigned to it.  But she was never fooled by the «public relations campaign».  «I imagine that the State wants to set an example and prove through my case that, no, there are no problems in the judicial handling of cases of sexual violence», she explained to us in an interview in 2021.  The actress said ironically: «Like in the Soviet Union back in the day, I feel like I'm being shown the display case, the most beautiful places, the most beautiful municipal gymnasium.»

Christophe Ruggia and his lawyers quickly complained about the speed of justice, and in 2020, they obtained the cancellation of his police custody and the lifting of the obligation to submit to psychological care, laid down in his supervision order.

Despite this procedural victory, the investigation file grew thicker with each passing month.  In August 2024, after five years of investigations, the judge decided to refer the filmmaker to the criminal court, emphasizing the «detailed, constant and precise» denunciations made by the actress, «her state of shock» at the time of the events, their «psychological repercussions», «the significant age difference between the two parties» and «the occurrence of progressive psychological coercion» applied by the director.  For Adèle Haenel, seeing these words written in black and white served as the first validation, and provoked «a lot of emotion», she told Mediapart.

During the trial, the actress was immediately questioned by the presiding judge about her desire to speak out in the media rather than go to court.  Why didn't she file a complaint at the time?  Had she considered the consequences for Christophe Ruggia? This was a way for the magistrate to avoid mentioning the questioning of the actress in 2019, which had irritated a section of the judicial world by holding up a mirror to an institution incapable of handling these cases.  The question had shocked the actress.  No, she hadn't thought about the consequences for the man she accused of molesting her as a child.  «At that moment, I spoke out because it was impossible to remain silent.  I was only thinking about this unbearable, enforced silence.»

h/t to @thexfridax for getting me access to the article - thanks, Ros!

[Please don’t repost this anywhere, in part or in whole.  Feel free to reblog, or at least cite your source and provide a link back here.  Asking permission would be nice in an ideal world, but I’m a realist – I know far too well how easy it is to appropriate stuff on Tumblr.  I would be the first to admit that my translations are not perfect – there are some words and phrases that simply do not drop neatly into an equivalent in English, and I constantly fix typos and make changes or corrections in older posts – but they do take a lot of work and time.  Thanks for understanding. - C.]