Marion Cotillard Lauds Adele Haenel for Coming Forward with Her #MeToo Story

Oscar winner Marion Cotillard has praised Adele Haenel for speaking out on sexual harassment, saying the fellow French actor was creating history by coming forward with her testimony. Haenel, the star of critically-acclaimed French feature Portrait of a Lady on Fire, accused filmmaker Christophe Ruggia of sexual harassment on the set of The Devils when she was 12. Woody Allen on #MeToo: ‘Never Been Accused of Inappropriate Behavior by the Female Actors, Paid Them the Equal of Men’

In an Instagram post on Tuesday, Cotillard lauded the actor for her courage. "Your courage is a gift of unmatched generosity for women and for men, for the young actresses and actors, for all those who have been damaged and now know thanks to you that they don't have to suffer this violence. And for those who have suffered it, that they can speak, they will be listened to and heard. You break a silence so deafening," she wrote. French Actor Adele Haenel Recalls Sexual Harassment at the Age of 12 by ‘The Devils’ Director Christophe Ruggia

"Your testimony is increasingly powerful. It resonates profoundly. Dear Adele, you are marking history. The history of this liberating revolution. Our history and our children's,” Cotillard wrote. In a recent interview, Haenel claimed Ruggia continued harassing her until she was 15.

She further said her decision to come out with her story stems from watching the HBO's Michael Jackson documentary Leaving Neverland, which chronicles the tales of molestation by Jackson's alleged victims. In his response, Ruggia said he "categorically refutes" the accusations, saying the pair had a "professional and affectionate relationship" and called the reporting "slanderous".