Gerard Depardieu accused of attacking ‘the king’ of paparazzi at Harry’s Bar in Rome
CNN
French actor Gerard Depardieu and companion Magda Vavrusova were allegedly involved in a run-in with Rino Barillari after being snapped by the celebrity photographer at the legendary Rome bar.
In a scene reminiscent of La Dolce Vita era, French actor Gerard Depardieu has been accused of attacking celebrity photographer Rino Barillari outside Harry’s Bar on the famed Via Veneto in Rome. Depardieu was dining at an outdoor table with a female companion and two other people around 2 p.m. local time on Tuesday when Barillari – known as “the king” in Roman press circles – apparently snapped the diners, according to Italian media reports. Exactly what happened next is a matter of dispute, though both sides say they have filed police reports known locally as denouncements. Barillari, age 79, said Depardieu’s partner Magda Vavrusova jumped up and started punching him before Depardieu joined the fight, according to Barillari’s lawyer, as cited in several Italian media outlets including the Messaggero newspaper where Barillari works. Police confirmed to CNN that “a local photographer” had filed a complaint around an incident at Harry’s Bar on Tuesday, but did not divulge the names of those involved. Piero Lepore, the owner of Harry’s Bar in Rome, confirmed to CNN that the incident happened, but did not cast blame.
