French actress sues over Hollande mistress rumours

French actress Julie Gayet, 40, has filed legal action over online rumours that she is the mistress of President François Hollande, her lawyer said in a statement on Thursday.

French actress Julie Gayet has filed legal action over rumours that she is the mistress of President François Hollande, her lawyer said in a statement on Thursday.

Judicial sources said Gayet, 40, who appeared in one of Hollande's 2012 campaign commercials, filed a complaint on March 18 with Paris prosecutors for breach of privacy.

The move came after numerous blogs and Websites alleged that she was pursuing a relationship with Hollande.

Gayet's lawyer Vincent Toledano denied the rumours in a statement.

"The actress Julie Gayet has instructed my chambers to take legal action over the rumour, widely disseminated on the internet, suggesting, with no foundation, that she has a romantic relationship with the president of the republic," he said.

“Nothing to justify” claims

"She expects her right to a private family life to be respected as there is nothing to justify these claims."

Hollande, 58, lives with his girlfriend Valerie Trierweiler, a journalist. He had a previous relationship with fellow Socialist politician and onetime presidential candidate Ségolène Royal, who is the mother of his four children.

Source: FRANCE 24 (29/03/2013): http://www.france24.com/en/20130329-french-actress-files-suit-hollande-mistress-rumours-gayet