New judicial woes for Gérard Depardieu. After the recent 18-month suspended sentence handed down by a Paris court for sexual assault, the French actor will now face trial in Italy as well. On June 17, he will appear before judges in Rome on charges of assaulting Rino Barillari, 80, the historic paparazzo known as the "King". The events date back to May 21, 2024, when Depardieu was at Harry's Bar in Via Veneto with his partner Magda Vavrusova. According to the prosecution, Barillari, informed of the actor's presence, allegedly entered the bar to take photos. A scuffle allegedly ensued: Depardieu allegedly threw ice at the photographer and then hit him with three punches to the face, causing a head injury and bruises judged to be healable in ten days. Barillari was rescued by the club owner and the Carabinieri, to whom he filed a complaint. Versions of the incident are conflicting. Depardieu, through his lawyers, claims he reacted to an assault, accusing Barillari of shoving his partner to get closer. "Harassing and shameful behavior," the actor said. Barillari, for his part, maintains that he was simply doing his job: "I have been taking pictures for 64 years. Depardieu, who had always been nice in the past, was furious this time. He threw ice at me, punched me and insulted me," he said, counting on the support of five witnesses, including two Carabinieri, Harry's Bar owner Pietro Lepore and journalist Gianni Riotta. This is not the first time Barillari has ended up at the center of similar episodes: over the years he has also had confrontations with Peter O'Toole, Frank Sinatra's bodyguards and Mickey Rourke. Now, assisted by lawyer Pino Ioppolo, he is preparing to testify in court. Depardieu, on the other hand, has threatened but not yet formalized a countersuit.