OSCARWATCH

A Nose for Controversy: French Culture Minister Jack Lang and director Jean-Paul Rappeneau have lined up with actor Gerard Depardieu in the controversy over remarks about rape attributed to him in Time magazine. Depardieu was quoted as saying he participated in the first of many gang rapes at age 9, calling it normal behavior in his neighborhood. Depardieu, 43, who is up for an Oscar for “Cyrano de Bergerac” at tonight’s Academy Awards ceremony, has strongly denied the statements, and Lang says he is “outraged” by the Time article. Rappeneau, who directed “Cyrano,” says lawyers representing him and the actor have started legal proceedings against Time. Depardieu isn’t expected at the Oscar presentation.