PARIS — French actor Gérard Depardieu went on trial Monday in Paris on charges of sexually assaulting two women on a movie set, in a case seen as a potential watershed for the #MeToo movement in France.

Depardieu, 76, is accused of having groped a 54-year-old set dresser and a 34-year-old assistant director during filming in 2021 of “Les Volets Verts” (“The Green Shutters”).

The actor faces up to five years in prison and a fine of 75,000 euros ($81,000) if convicted.

Depardieu denies any wrongdoing.

To reporters massed outside the courtroom, he briefly said “I’m ok.” Inside, he told the judges that he was prepared to answer the court’s questions.

“We will be able to show in an impartial, objective and incontestable manner that all of the accusations are lies,” his attorney, Jérémie Assous, told journalists.

“The truth will be obvious and the truth is on our side,” he said.

Prosecutors say Depardieu trapped the set dresser with his legs before groping her waist and breasts in front of witnesses. She says the actor also used obscene language and had to be pulled away by bodyguards.

The assistant director alleged that Depardieu groped her both on set and in the street.

The women sat side by side in court.

The trial is expected to last at least two days, but could be extended beyond Tuesday, if the chief judge wants more time. The trial was initially scheduled for October, but then postponed because of Depardieu’s health. A verdict is expected at a later date.

Depardieu grasped his lawyer’s shoulder as he strode calmly into the courtroom. The actor has undergone a quadruple heart bypass and has diabetes, according to his lawyer. A court-appointed medical expert determined that he’s fit to stand trial, but recommended that the hearings don’t exceed six hours, with a 15-minute pause and snack every three hours.

The actor had dropped out of sight in recent months, his film career seemingly on hold. But he still has friends in the industry. Actors Vincent Perez and Fanny Ardant were among those who took seats on his side of the courtroom.