Cannes Film Festival removes actor Théo Navarro-Mussy due to sexual assault allegations

He will not be walking the red carpet. The Cannes Film Festival has banned French actor Théo Navarro-Mussy from presenting Dominik Moll's film "Dossier 137" this Thursday due to accusations of sexual violence, the festival announced on Wednesday, confirming information from Télérama .

The cast of the film, in which Théo Navarro-Mussy plays a supporting role, was due to appear at Cannes this Thursday. But the festival's general delegate, Thierry Frémaux, decided, even before the opening on Tuesday , in an unprecedented move and in agreement with the film's production team, to remove him, the cultural magazine reported on its website.

On the legal front, and according to Télérama, the actor, seen in particular in the series "Hippocrates", was the target of a complaint from three former partners for "rape, physical and moral violence", in the private sphere, "in 2018, 2019 and 2020", at least four years before filming.

This complaint was dismissed in April 2025 for “insufficiently characterized offense” but “the three complainants indicated their intention to file an appeal by constituting themselves as civil parties,” states Télérama.

Contacted by the magazine, the actor reiterated that the courts have, "at this stage, cleared him of any liability." "I have received no information that any proceedings are continuing. This proposed complaint with civil action has not been formally recorded in the courts, to my knowledge," commented the actor's lawyer, Pouzet-Gagliardi. AFP was unable to confirm these details as of Wednesday evening.

The Cannes Film Festival's general delegate, to whom the matter was referred by the Actors' Association, justified his decision by stating that "the proceedings remain ongoing." "It is because there is an appeal and therefore a continuation of the investigation that the case is not subject to suspensive effect. When justice is finally delivered, things become different," he explained in Télérama.

Thierry Frémaux clarified that at Cannes, productions must now "assure organizers that the safety, integrity, and dignity of individuals have been respected throughout the production process" of a film. "We must act on a case-by-case basis, especially when new elements arise," he added.

The festival also announced that it is awaiting further information regarding another film personality who has been reported.