France court hands TV host suspended sentence over nude casting
A French appeals court on Monday sentenced television presenter Jean-Marc Morandini to an 18-month suspended prison term for sexually harassing a young male actor during auditions a decade ago. The 59-year-old presenter, known for his work on the right-wing CNews television channel, was found guilty of harassing a 19-year-old while casting for a web series in 2015.
Investigators revealed that Morandini encouraged aspiring male actors aged 19 to 26 to record explicit scenes for a series centered on the antics of a football team in their changing room. Posing as a fictitious female casting director, he sent emails soliciting videos of the actors posing naked or engaging in sexual acts. In one email, the fake casting director asked a young man, identified only as Gabriel, if he would be willing to perform oral sex on Morandini.
The Paris Appeals Court, which delivered the ruling in Morandini's absence, also imposed a €10,000 ($10,500) fine on him and ordered him to pay damages to Gabriel. Additionally, Morandini's production company was fined €10,000 for not declaring the work of Gabriel and three other actors involved in the project.
Morandini's legal team maintained that their client had always acted in a "respectful and professional manner" and announced plans to appeal the ruling in France's highest criminal court. In a previous ruling from 2023, a lower court had issued Morandini a six-month suspended sentence in this same case.
Furthermore, in a separate case concerning the alleged coercion of minors, another court sentenced Morandini to a one-year suspended prison term in 2022. Investigators uncovered that he had sent explicit texts to two 15-year-olds in 2013 and 2015-2016, and had asked a 16-year-old to undress and masturbate during an audition at his home for a film that was never produced.
The severity of the recent ruling and previous allegations against Morandini have sparked discussions in France regarding accountability for sexual harassment and the protection of young actors in the entertainment industry. As Morandini prepares to appeal, the case continues to draw attention to the broader issues of consent and exploitation in casting practices.
