Woody Allen doesn’t understand why people keep lumping him in with all the abusers in Hollywood.
Speaking to Argentinian news program, “Periodismo Para Todos” (via Quartz), the famous director opened up about the recent #MeToo movement and why his record on set should make him one of the celebrated filmmakers, and not blacklisted like Harvey Weinstein.
In the interview, he said:
“I’m a big advocate of the #MeToo movement. I feel when they find people who harass innocent women and men, it’s a good thing that they’re exposing them. But you know, I should be the poster boy for the #MeToo movement. Because I have worked in movies for 50 years. I’ve worked with hundreds of actresses and not a single one — big ones, famous ones, ones starting out — have ever ever suggested any kind of impropriety at all. I’ve always had a wonderful record with them.”
The reason Allen is asked about the #MeToo movement is his history of alleged inappropriate sexual conduct. The filmmaker is accused by adopted daughter Dylan Farrow of sexual abuse when she was a child. Allen has consistently denied the allegations, as Dylan Farrow has continued to speak out about the alleged incidents. Farrow’s accusations were part of a legal battle between Allen and ex-wife Mia Farrow. The filmmaker was never charged.
READ MORE: Woody Allen’s Son Defends His Father And Accuses Mia Farrow Of Abuse And Brainwashing
“I think in any situation where anyone is accused of something unjustly, this is a sad thing. I think everybody would agree with that… Everyone wants justice to be done. If there is something like the #MeToo movement now, you root for them, you want them to bring to justice these terrible harassers, these people who do all these terrible things. And I think that’s a good thing,” Allen said.
“What bothers me is that I get linked in with them. People who have been accused by 20 women, 50 women, 100 women of abuse and abuse and abuse– and I, who was only accused by one woman in a child custody case which was looked at and proven to be untrue, I get lumped in with these people,” he continued.
In the last several months, as the #MeToo movement continues to gain steam, many of Allen’s previous actors and collaborators have come forward to say they would not work with him in the future. Greta Gerwig, Timothée Chalamet, Michael Caine, Ellen Page, and others have publicly stated they would not work with Allen again.
This has led to Allen becoming frustrated with these allegations resurfacing. In the interview he said, “…I mean this is just so crazy. This is something that has been thoroughly looked at 25 years ago by all the authorities and everybody came to the conclusion that it was untrue. And that was the end and I’ve gone on with my life. For it to come back now, it’s a terrible thing to accuse a person of. I’m a man with a family and my own children. So, of course, it’s upsetting.”
Allen’s latest film “A Rainy Day in New York” is still in post-production and a release date has not been set.