woody allen

  • Woody Allen says 'well-meaning but foolish' actors who now denounce him are 'persecuting a perfectly innocent person and they're enabling this lie'

    The director again denied claims he molested adopted daughter Dylan Farrow and defended his marriage to Soon-Yi Previn in a rare new interview with CBS.

  • Dylan Farrow speaks out at conclusion of 'Allen v. Farrow': 'Never stop believing survivors'

    As the finale of "Allen v. Farrow" aired Sunday on HBO Max, Dylan — the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen — said, "To have my truth finally acknowledged by so many of you means the world to me."

  • ‘Allen v. Farrow’ Filmmakers Fire Back at Alec Baldwin

    Victoria Will/APLast week, 30 Rock actor Alec Baldwin spoke out in defense of Woody Allen following the HBO premiere of Allen v. Farrow, a four-part docuseries examining the allegation that the celebrated filmmaker had sexually molested his 7-year-old adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, in the attic of their Connecticut country home on Aug. 4, 1992.“Who needs courtrooms or rule of law when we have trial by media?” Baldwin wrote on Twitter, alongside an article about the documentary.Baldwin’s critique was sent out to his hundreds of thousands of followers the day after the premiere, so it appears that SNL’s Trump decided to pass judgment on the entire series after only viewing its first episode. As a whole, Allen v. Farrow includes not only testimony from Dylan, Mia, and Ronan Farrow, but also interviews with neighbors, family friends, city and state officials, and a trove of never-before-seen documents—as well as audio recordings of phone calls between Woody and Mia. Its filmmakers, Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering, were more than a little surprised by the “trial by media” allegation.“Wow. How can he say that? He hasn’t seen the whole thing yet,” Ziering tells The Daily Beast. “I think the trial by media happened over the past three decades, Alec. Let’s see who was tried and convicted. He should a) watch the series; and b) look at the role the media played in spreading spin instead of truths, in not doing any fact-checking, in excoriating someone and convicting her [Mia Farrow] without any due diligence over three decades, and then talk to us about trial by media.”Mia Farrow Reveals Woody Allen’s ‘Horrible Lies’ and RuthlessnessThe third episode of Allen v. Farrow, premiering this Sunday night, indeed focuses on how Allen weaponized the media against Farrow in the wake Dylan’s molestation allegation against Allen. Immediately following the news that Allen was being investigated by police, he held a press conference at The Plaza Hotel in Manhattan, where he proclaimed his love for Farrow’s college-aged daughter Soon-Yi and accused Farrow of cooking up the molestation claim out of revenge—even though Farrow had brought Dylan to a pediatrician to have her discuss the allegation, and the pediatrician independently reported it to the police.Following the presser, Allen did cover story interviews with TIME, Newsweek, and People, and also sat down for an interview with 60 Minutes. Mia Farrow says she wanted to keep the matter private for the sake of her children and did not grant interviews at the time. Because of her stance, Allen’s narrative seemingly took hold in the media, and by extension the public consciousness, casting Farrow as a vengeful woman scorned.“Woody’s story was so prominent in part because Mia elected not to talk to the media because she knew that if she did, it would just stir up the media even more, and it was already having such a traumatic effect on her family as it was, that she felt the best thing for her family was not to say anything,” explains Dick. “So she chose protecting her family over getting the story out.”“I’d like to raise a pointed point back to Alec Baldwin: If you watch the series, it’s Woody Allen who went public with the story. It wasn’t Mia,” adds Ziering. “It was Woody Allen who called the first press conference. It was Woody Allen who got himself on the covers of TIME and Newsweek, and agreed to a 60 Minutes interview. This is the first time Mia has spoken at length on camera about this issue ever.”Then again, Baldwin isn’t exactly the poster child for the #MeToo movement. Back in 2017, he briefly left Twitter after criticizing one of Harvey Weinstein’s alleged rape victims, Rose McGowan, for reaching a financial settlement with him. Baldwin also complained to Megyn Kelly that the #MeToo movement was targeting innocent men and joked that he couldn’t even tell whether touching his wife, Hilaria Baldwin—who is not Spanish—was now “inappropriate.” (There was also his infamous appearance in good friend James Toback’s documentary palling around with Roman Polanski aboard a yacht.)Mariel Hemingway Reckons With Mental Health, Woody Allen, and ‘Manhattan’: ‘I Was a Kid’ Another character who enters the fray in Episode 3 of Allen v. Farrow is the filmmaker’s longtime lawyer, Elkan Abramowitz, who represented Allen at the time of the abuse allegation and subsequent child custody trial (another of his past clients: Harvey Weinstein). Just this week, Abramowitz was retained by New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo amid a probe into his alleged cover-up of COVID nursing home deaths, as well as three sexual harassment allegations against him, two from former aides.When I mentioned the Cuomo news to Dick and Ziering, they couldn’t help but laugh.“Oh, dear. I guess he hasn’t seen the series,” offers Ziering. “I don’t think those episodes have aired yet, so he wouldn’t know—and neither would Elkan.”“There does seem to be a roster of usual suspects that traffic in these kinds of cases,” she adds. “They know the playbook.”As for Baldwin, on Wednesday night he announced that he was quitting Twitter yet again, calling it a place where “all the assholes in the United States and beyond go to get their advanced degrees in assholiness.”The Daily Beast will be running additional conversations with Kirby Dick and Amy Ziering immediately following Episodes 3 and 4 of Allen v. Farrow.Read more at The Daily Beast.Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast hereGet our top stories in your inbox every day. Sign up now!Daily Beast Membership: Beast Inside goes deeper on the stories that matter to you. Learn more.

  • 'Allen v. Farrow' reveals video of 7-year-old Dylan Farrow describing alleged sexual abuse by Woody Allen

    Farrow was terrified of making the tapes of her younger self public, but did so in hopes that it will help adults understand how an abused child might interpret such situations.

  • HBO Not Removing Woody Allen Films After Release of Docuseries About His Disputed Child Abuse

    HBO Max's four-part docuseries, Allen vs. Farrow, explores the longstanding allegations that Woody Allen sexually abused ex-wife Mia Farrow's daughter Dylan

  • Woody Allen slams 'Allen v. Farrow' docuseries revisiting sexual abuse claim

    Allen and his wife Soon-Yi Previn, also an adoptive daughter of Mia, slammed the docuseries in a statement to "The Hollywood Reporter," saying filmmakers Amy Ziering and Kirby Dick "had no interest in the truth…"

  • Dylan Farrow describes disturbing alleged behavior by Woody Allen in new HBO doc: 'He was always hunting me'

    Dylan Farrow went into disturbing detail in describing some of her alleged experiences with Woody Allen.

  • Kate Winslet says focus on her weight as a young star was 'straight-up cruel'

    The Oscar-winning actress also speaks out about her regrets working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski.

  • Chelsea Handler went to a dinner party at Jeffrey Epstein's house: 'It was so awkward and so weird'

    "I've never been onto the private island, and I've never been on his plane," Chelsea Handler said of Jeffrey Epstein.

  • Jessica Simpson and Mariah Carey among stars to spill secrets in 2020 celebrity memoirs

    Jessica Simpson, Mariah Carey, Lenny Kravitz, Alex Trebek, Alicia Keys, Matthew McConaughey and Michael J. Fox were among the celebrities getting personal in memoirs this year.

  • Kate Winslet on working with Woody Allen and Roman Polanski: 'What the f*** was I doing?'

    “It’s unbelievable to me now how those men were held in such high regard," Winslet said in a new interview.

  • Joel Schumacher, Director of ‘St Elmo’s Fire’ and ‘The Lost Boys,’ Dies at 80

    Joel Schumacher, director of films like “St. Elmo’s Fire,” “The Client” and “A Time to Kill,” has died from a year-long battle with cancer, his spokesperson told TheWrap. He was 80.His films “Falling Down” (1993) and “8mm” (1999) competed for Palme d’Or and Golden Bear, respectively. His other credits include “Flatliners,” “The Lost Boys,” “Tigerland,” “Batman Forever” and “Batman & Robin,” as well as “Phone Booth,” “The Phantom of the Opera,” “The Number 23” and, most recently, two episodes of “House of Cards.”Schumacher developed a reputation for spotting young talent, casting stars like Colin Farrell, Kiefer Sutherland, Matthew McConaughey and Brad Renfro in their first major screen roles. He also often cast the same actors in different films, collaborating with stars like Farrell, Sutherland, Nicole Kidman, Jim Carrey and Nicolas Cage.Also Read: Iconic 'Batman' Writer Denny O'Neil Dies at 81Schumacher was born in New York City on Aug. 29, 1939. He first studied at Parsons School for Design and the Fashion Institute of Technology, but after working in the fashion industry, he realized he loved filmmaking. He moved to Los Angeles, where he began his career working as a costume designer in films like Woody Allen’s “Sleeper” and “Interiors.”His first screenplay was 1976’s musical drama “Sparkle,” which he developed with Howard Rosenman. His other screenwriting credits include 1976’s “Car Wash” and 1979’s “The Wiz.” His directorial debut was “The Incredible Shrinking Woman” in 1981 starring Lily Tomlin.Also Read: Brooke McCarter, Star of 'The Lost Boys,' Dead at 52Schumacher directed two adaptations of John Grisham novels: “The Client” and “A Time to Kill.” He then replaced Tim Burton as the director of the “Batman” film franchise, and “Batman Forever” scored the highest-grossing opening weekend of 1995. Its sequel, “Batman & Robin,” was panned by critics and didn’t perform as well at the box office at its predecessor.The director apologized for the film once in 2006 and again in 2017. “Look, I apologize,” Schumacher had said in 2017. of “Batman & Robin.” “I want to apologize to every fan that was disappointed because I think I owe them that.”Schumacher also directed several music videos including “Kiss From a Rose” by Seal and “The End Is the Beginning Is the End” by The Smashing Pumpkins.Read original story Joel Schumacher, Director of ‘St Elmo’s Fire’ and ‘The Lost Boys,’ Dies at 80 At TheWrap

  • Spike Lee Apologizes After Interview Defending Woody Allen Amid ‘Cancel’ Culture: ‘My Words Were Wrong’

    Spike Lee on Saturday apologized for comments he made in a radio interview on Friday defending his “friend” Woody Allen and suggested that “cancel” culture may be going too far for filmmakers accused of serious wrongdoing.“I Deeply Apologize. My Words Were WRONG,” the director tweeted. “I Do Not And Will Not Tolerate Sexual Harassment, Assault Or Violence. Such Treatment Causes Real Damage That Can’t Be Minimized.”The director responded after a Friday interview with Len Berman and Michael Riedel, co-hosts of New York City radio station WOR’s “In the Morning” show. “I’d just like to say Woody Allen is a great, great filmmaker and this cancel thing is not just Woody,” Lee said. “When we look back on it we are going to see that — short of killing somebody — I don’t know you just erase someone like they never existed.”Lee, who appeared on the show to promote his new Netflix movie “Da 5 Bloods,” added, “Woody is a friend of mine, a fellow Knick fan, and I know he’s going through it right now.”I Deeply Apologize. My Words Were WRONG. I Do Not And Will Not Tolerate Sexual Harassment, Assault Or Violence. Such Treatment Causes Real Damage That Can't Be Minimized.-Truly, Spike Lee.— Spike Lee (@SpikeLeeJoint) June 13, 2020Also Read: 'Da 5 Bloods' Film Review: Spike Lee's Vietnam Epic Finds an Apocalypse Then and NowAllen has struggled to continue as a filmmaker in recent years since his daughter Dylan Farrow resurfaced accusations that he molested her in the early 1990s when she was 7. Amazon Studios dropped plans for the 2018 release of the Timothée Chalamet-Elle Fanning romance “A Rainy Day in New York” and returned U.S. rights to Allen last year.Allen, who was never charged with a crime after two separate police investigations in the 1990s, has repeatedly called the accusations a “total fabrication.” In his memoir “Apropos of Nothing” published earlier this year, he also suggested the claims surfaced because of ex-partner Mia Farrow’s “Ahab-like quest” for revenge after she learned he had begun dating then 21-year-old Soon-Yi Previn, whom Farrow and previous husband André Previn had adopted in 1978.The memoir was denounced by Allen’s son, Ronan Farrow, and Dylan Farrow called the book’s publication “deeply unsettling.”Listen to the full interview below.Read original story Spike Lee Apologizes After Interview Defending Woody Allen Amid ‘Cancel’ Culture: ‘My Words Were Wrong’ At TheWrap

  • Spike Lee Apologizes for Woody Allen Comments

    UPDATED: Spike Lee has issued an apology for his comments defending Woody Allen against cancel culture in Hollywood. "I deeply apologize. My words were wrong. I do not and will not tolerate sexual harassment, assault or violence. Such treatment causes real damage that can't be minimized," he posted on Twitter on Saturday. I Deeply Apologize. […]

  • Megyn Kelly rails against censorship after 'Gone With the Wind' pulled, cop shows shelved: 'If you don't like it, don't watch'

    Megyn Kelly criticized HBO Max’s decision to temporarily remove "Gone With the Wind" from its library.

  • Woody Allen Says ‘Professionally, I Haven’t Suffered’ and Criticizes Actors for Denouncing Him

    Allen says actors denouncing him became the "fashionable thing to do, like everybody suddenly eating kale."

  • Woody Allen addresses daughter Dylan's sexual abuse allegation in new interview: 'I ignore it'

    The director calls Dylan's abuse claim a "false allegation but a great tabloid drama" and says he "cannot let it bother me."

  • Woody Allen details his affair with Soon-Yi Previn, Mia Farrow finding the 'erotic photographs' in new memoir

    Woody Allen’s memoir has been released after all — by a new publisher — following protests.

  • AP Exclusive: Allen has new publisher, memoir out Monday

    Woody Allen's memoir, dropped by its original publisher after widespread criticism, has found a new home, The Associated Press has learned. The 400-page book, still called “Apropos of Nothing,” was released Monday by Arcade Publishing. "The book is a candid and comprehensive personal account by Woody Allen of his life," Arcade announced, “ranging from his childhood in Brooklyn through his acclaimed career in film, theater, television, print and standup comedy, as well as exploring his relationships with family and friends.”

  • Stephen King feels 'very uneasy' that Woody Allen's book was dropped by publisher

    Stephen King is under fire for tweeting that he feels “very uneasy” about Hachette Book Group’s decision to drop Woody Allen’s memoir