In his autobiography Freepublished this Thursday, May 2, the model recounts the sexual assault she allegedly suffered from a well-known French filmmaker.
She began her acting career in 2004, in Three little girls. After a childhood in Czechoslovakia, marked by her father’s abuse, Adriana Karembeu, who became a model, presenter and actress, managed to build an international reputation. The one who is now 52 years old nevertheless recounted in her autobiography Free, published this Thursday, May 2 by Editions Leduc, a traumatic episode, which occurred while she was venturing “timidly into the world of cinema”. “One day, my agent suggested that I meet a director for a project,” she writes in the book, “that Tele-Leisure was able to consult. I go to his house alone for the meeting, I am naive enough not to be suspicious because it is the afternoon.”
But Adriana Karembeu would have quickly become disillusioned. “I rang his doorbell,” she recalled. The director, who already has several films to his credit, welcomes me with a smile, invites me to come in and sit down.” Before continuing: “After a brief discussion on the script, he gets up and comes closer to me on the sofa. He places his hand on his knee, then suddenly throws himself on me, kissing me violently. I feel his saliva on my face and my chest.” His blood would then have only flowed once. “I forcefully push him away, shocked that he dared to attack me,” she explained. I am 35 years old, and I found the strength necessary to fight off this infamous predator and escape. If I had been 20, I think I would have been more deeply affected.”
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“He absolutely acts as if nothing happened”
Back home, Adriana Karembeu then remained “prostrate for several hours”. And does not mention this attack to anyone, in order to send it as quickly as possible to the limbo of his memory. Years later, the model nevertheless told the story to her agent. “I should have warned you, he is sometimes borderline, his reputation precedes him,” he retorts. A reaction which disgusts the main person concerned. She is also overtaken by this traumatic encounter, while she is having dinner with her husband. “A few days later, while I still remain silent about this attack, we have a romantic dinner at the restaurant,” she adds. And there, like a punch in the stomach, I see this French director cross the threshold, walk towards our table, act absolutely as if nothing had happened. As if nothing had happened.”
And the actress was indignant: “He dares to greet me in front of my husband, with his lewd air, when he tried to rape me so recently. I remain unmoved, even if deep inside, I scream with all my might.” In 2020, Adriana Karembeu already told in the podcast Parents First a “bitter and disgusting experience”, which occurred during her career with a man whose name she did not mention. “It happened to me,” she said at the time. It wasn’t nice, it was quite scary. But I was old enough. I wasn’t 20, I was around 35. I did very well. He wasn’t an essential man in my life, so it was probably easier. I sent it “hummmm”,” she modestly recounted. Since then, Adriana Karembeu has acted in several films and series, notably Asterix at the Olympic Games (2008).
