Depardieu to 'end acting career'

Depardieu has been expanding into new areas in recent years

French film star Gerard Depardieu has told a newspaper that he is preparing to end his acting career.

Depardieu, 56, interviewed by Le Parisien on the set of the upcoming Michou d'Auber, said he did not want to "hang on like an idiot".

His agent said the actor, who made his first film in 1967, should not be taken at face value but would be appearing on screen much less than before.

The Green Card star is due to start work on a third Asterix film next year.

Depardieu said he was "in the process of stopping filming".

"I have nothing to lose," he told Le Parisien's Sunday edition. "I have made 170 films. I have nothing left to prove."

Vineyard interests

Depardieu, who underwent a heart bypass operation five years ago, has been expanding his interests outside acting.

He wants to do deals, he wants to do other things than act Claude Davy, agent

He owns vineyards in France, Spain, Morocco and Argentina, as well as two Paris restaurants, and in September launched an English-language version of his cookbook.

Depardieu had been saying he would be ending his film career "for 10 years", his agent Claude Davy said.

But Mr Davy confirmed it was likely that he would in future only make about one film every three years.

"He is fed up of cinema," Mr Davy said.

"It doesn't amuse him any more. He wants to do deals, he wants to do other things than act."