Roman Polanski acquitted by French court in defamation trial
Film director Roman Polanski was acquitted by a French court of defaming British actress Charlotte Lewis, who accused him of raping her when she was a teenager. Lewis alleged the abuse occurred in 1983 when she was 16, after traveling to Paris for a casting session. Polanski called her accusations a “heinous lie” in a 2019 interview, leading to the defamation lawsuit. Lewis disputed a quote attributed to her in a 1999 interview, and Polanski’s lawyer celebrated the verdict as a win for free speech. Despite the acquittal, Lewis expressed disappointment and stated she would appeal. Polanski has faced multiple sexual assault allegations, denying them all, and has struggled to secure distribution deals for his films in the wake of the #MeToo movement.