A French court clears director Roman Polanski of defaming a British actor

PARIS (AP) — A French court ruled Tuesday that filmmaker Roman Polanski did not British actor Charlotte Lewis, who has accused him of raping her as a teenager. The case stems from a 2019 interview with Paris Match magazine, where Polanski allegedly called Lewis a liar following her accusations. The court’s ruling did not address the truth of the rape allegation but focused solely on whether Polanski’s comments in the Paris Match interview constituted defamation against Lewis.Polanski rebutted Lewis’s allegations in the interview, describing them as a “heinous lie.” Lewis had contended the remarks were defamatory, launching a legal battle against the 90-year-old director, known for classics such as “Rosemary’s Baby,” “Chinatown,” and “The Pianist.”