Award-winning actor Gerard Depardieu has said he is ready to die for Russia, the country whose citizenship he adopted in 2013 to avoid paying higher taxes in his native France, a report said.
"I am ready to die for Russia because the people there are strong. I absolutely do not want to die a fool in modern-day France," Depardieu was cited as saying Monday by the Voici news site, quoting an interview with Vanity Fair.
Depardieu, 66, became a Russian citizen in 2013 after President Vladimir Putin signed an executive order granting him a passport. The actor has since embraced his new homeland, starring in a Russian sitcom called Zaitsev+1 and working with luxury watchmaker Cvstos to produce a line called "Proud to Be Russian."
See also: Four Celebrities Who Secretly Wish They Were Russian
"I don't believe in myself because I don't share the values that I was raised on. I don't feel French," Depardieu told Vanity Fair, Voici reported.
Depardieu, who once boasted to the So Film magazine that he could drink up to 14 bottles of wine a day, also indicated that he was not afraid of death in the interview with Vanity Fair, which will appear in the magazine's June issue.
"Sometimes at night in my bed, I want to fall asleep forever," he was cited as saying by Voici. "I have experienced everything. There are not many people who can say that, [so] I can die now."
Meanwhile, Depardieu is reportedly planning a concert in war-torn eastern Ukraine. A spokesperson for the Culture Ministry of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People's Republic said Depardieu was planning to give a free concert, the Russian News Service reported.
A Message from The Moscow Times:
Dear readers,
We are facing unprecedented challenges. Russia's Prosecutor General's Office has designated The Moscow Times as an "undesirable" organization, criminalizing our work and putting our staff at risk of prosecution. This follows our earlier unjust labeling as a "foreign agent."
These actions are direct attempts to silence independent journalism in Russia. The authorities claim our work "discredits the decisions of the Russian leadership." We see things differently: we strive to provide accurate, unbiased reporting on Russia.
We, the journalists of The Moscow Times, refuse to be silenced. But to continue our work, we need your help.
Your support, no matter how small, makes a world of difference. If you can, please support us monthly starting from just $2. It's quick to set up, and every contribution makes a significant impact.
By supporting The Moscow Times, you're defending open, independent journalism in the face of repression. Thank you for standing with us.
Remind me later.
