Prosecutor demands 1 year suspended prison sentence against actor Frank Vercruyssen for sneaky nude images: “My life has stopped”

Frank Vercruyssen (58) had to answer for voyeurism before the Antwerp criminal court this morning. The Antwerp actor (known for, among other things, the film Zillion) and the founding member of theater collective Stan had previously been exempted from prosecution.

The facts took place in November 2019 during the tour of the performance Après la rehearsal in Namur. Vercruyssen hid his smartphone in the box where the then 33-year-old actress Georgia Scalliet washed and changed. That phone was equipped with a special app that automatically took a photo every 15 seconds. The French actress caught Vercruyssen red-handed and confronted him with the abuse.

Afterwards, Scalliet refused to continue playing the play, which is about the relationship between an aging theater director and a young, passionate actress. She has, among other things, a scene in which she exposes her breasts and kisses Vercruyssen. She reached a settlement with Stan, her and Vercruyssen’s employer at the time, for 20,000 euros in material and moral damage. Previously, the company did not want to confirm that the problems had occurred during one of their productions, but that appears to be the case.

“Feeled and massaged”

Scalliet, who is associated with the famous Comédie Française in France, was not present at the hearing. According to her lawyer, Philip De Cleene, the voyeurism fits into a broader “modus operandi” in which Vercruyssen “systematically approached women under his care”. “In every production where Vercruyssen entered, mores changed: greetings took place via a kiss on the mouth, there was feeling and massage.”

During a search last year, a USB stick was found at the actor’s home containing, in addition to Scalliet’s nude photos, also those of eight other women from France and Iceland, among others. The file, which was taken over from the Paris public prosecutor’s office in 2023, contains statements from another seven women about inappropriate behavior. It is not clear who this concerns and whether there is an ongoing investigation abroad into those complaints. Only the case against Scalliet is being heard in Antwerp.

Vercruyssen’s position of power over Scalliet is an aggravating element for the defense. “As Stan’s artistic director, he determined who played in the productions.” The actor, who was present in the courtroom, does not dispute the facts, but denies that he had a position of authority at the Stan collective. According to him, it operates as a “horizontal structure where everyone has equal power”.

“Best friend”

Scalliet was also his “best friend”, with whom he had been “madly in love” for ten years. According to his lawyer Noémi Wagemans, they regularly slept together and walked hand in hand on the street, even though there was no amorous relationship. Scalliet also has a husband and child. “The game of attraction and repulsion made me crazy, that’s why I committed acts that I never expected,” Vercruyssen replied when the judge asked him about his motive. “I consider myself a gentle and loving person. I wanted to take something to have her with me, without harming her. But I am deeply ashamed and feel terrible that I have caused so much suffering to someone dear.”

The actor, who has been guided by a psychiatrist and forensic psychologist for some time, also expressed his deep regret for Stan, who he “innocently dragged into this ordeal”. He has been inactive with his company since September 2023. Vercruyssen also referred to the heavy mental impact. “My life stopped four years ago. I was dismissed and slandered everywhere. I’ll do anything to get my life back on track. My company is my life’s work.”

The prosecutor is asking for a suspended prison sentence of 1 year. Vercruyssen and his lawyer argue for a probation suspension, whereby the actor pleads guilty but receives no punishment so that he can rebuild his life. The verdict is expected on April 23.