Depardieu rejects claims he's too white for Dumas

BERLIN — Gerard Depardieu has rejected the discussion over his right to play mixed-race author Alexandre Dumas because he is a blue-eyed blonde.

Depardieu says the debate over his role as "The Three Musketeers" writer in the big-budget production "L'Autre Dumas" is "ridiculous" and "unnecessary."

France's Representative Council for Black Associations had questioned Depardieu's being cast as a man with Afro-Caribbean heritage, saying black actors are not chosen to play white roles in French cinema.

Depardieu says the issue is "not interesting" and "not a problem."

The actor spoke Friday at the Berlin film festival. He was attending the screening of the French film "Mammuth" — one of 20 films in competition for the top prize.