Diane Keaton has a somewhat interesting new cover profile in the AARP Magazine, mostly to promote her holiday comedy, Love the Coopers. The bulk of the piece is about her love of LA real estate, how close she was to her mother, how she raises her kids, etc. But the magazine also goes hard and asks Diane about her feelings about Woody Allen. Diane and Woody were friends, lovers and collaborators back in the 1970s and 1980s. She was his muse for years, and they’re still friendly. Last year, in the immediate wake of renewed allegations about Woody’s alleged molestation of his daughter Dylan, Diane defended Woody and said they were still friends. She says much of the same in this piece. Some highlights:
Her constant home renovations: “I’ve always been looking for home. I feel like I’ve chased the concept of home with all the renovations and building I’ve done in my life, and I can’t stop. I can’t seem to stop having the dream of it.”
She never felt pretty enough: “I was upset I wasn’t pretty enough, or that my voice wasn’t that good, or that I wasn’t considered right for roles early on. My mother would always tell me, ‘You just keep doing what you’re doing.’ So you pick yourself up and you keep trying.”
Career goals: “Obviously, I wanted to be famous. I wanted to be a movie star.”
Getting the Kay part in The Godfather: “I don’t know how I got that part. I was, like, kooky and unusual and left of center and not always castable at that time. I would go up against Jill Clayburgh or Blythe Danner, and it just wasn’t happening for me.”
Woody Allen is the closest thing to a mentor for her: “He gave me everything. It was a privilege to be in those films with him. I’ve never seen anybody more disciplined. For him, work is an art form. Work really is the answer to so many problems, and it’s a form of play, too, that you take very seriously and keep trying to expand. That’s something I learned from Woody.”
I have mixed feelings about this. Like, I know people are going to slam her for defending Woody, just as we slammed Jodie Foster for defending Mel Gibson in the wake of his crazy exploits. But is that fair? She’s not saying Dylan was or is a liar, nor is she commenting directly on that situation. Diane is just talking about the Woody Allen she knew and knows, and what their multi-decade friendship has meant to her. Eh. Maybe I just don’t feel like yelling at Diane Keaton.
Here are some pics of Diane and her doggy costar at the premiere of Love the Coopers.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
I see Woody and I cannot see anything else. Nope.
That dog is everything though!!! So fluffeeeeeee.
I know how you feel.
focus on the dog, it’s much better.
She’s saying that if he helped her career, she doesn’t care that he abused children.
“You knew me when I was a little girl, Diane Keaton. Have you forgotten me?” — Dylan Farrow.
What is the socially appropriate way to answer someone who has obviously been brainwashed from a very young age by her vindictive, crazy mother? There is no evidence that he ever molested Dylan. None.
Chelsea I think you have been brainwashed by the persona of Woody Allen. To say a grown woman is lying, is disgusting and represents the victim-blaming that is endemic in our society. 2015. Almost 2016. And children are STILL not believed!!! I bet you also believe Cosby is innocent, as well!
chelsea, I’m sure the only “evidence” that would suit you is if there was a video of it happening or Allen himself said he did it.
the observations of the mother and the babysitter and other family members mean nothing?…nor do the words from the victim herself?…or the family judge that said he believe there was enough evidence to go to trial but didn’t want to put the victim through a trial?
Chelsea, even if you think there’s not enough evidence to believe Dylan, he did, in fact take nude pictures, spread-eagle, of Soon-yi. A girl who was underage and for all intent and purposes, considered his daughter as well as Mia’s other kids all those years they were together. And considering Woody had a biological child with Mia, Woody, in fact, molested his biological child’s sister then married her so she couldn’t testify against him. Of course, she was too brainwashed by Woody and damaged from childhood trauma before she was ever adopted by Mia anyway. So if you want to not believe Dylan, you can’t get around the fact of him also molesting Soon-yi, his biological child’s sister, which makes Soon-yi his daughter as well, then marrying and having kids with his kid (Soon-yi). Revolting.
I guess the one thing he didn’t give her was the creeps.
It was pre-creepy…before the creepy, his long term relationships were with accomplished age-appropriate women..like Keaton and Louise Lasser. Despite the creep factor, Annie Hall is still one of my favorite films, and Take the Money and Run tops my laugh-out-loud list (well, tied with Airplane!)
I’ll just leave this here:
http://www.esquire.com/entertainment/movies/a27233/dylan-farrow-woody-allen-movies/
A little food for thought.
That dog is cuddly and I want to smush it!
Has she ever said a word about the allegations specifically? If she hasn’t I can’t fault her for sticking with a friend who’s been in her life for decades. It’s her choice. Saying nice things about him might seem icky to us but unlike all the young actors/actresses who simply want to further their careers by working on a Woody Allen film, she’s not going to gain anything from it at this point, is she? I feel like she’s not doing this for shady reasons. And maybe to her, that other person really does not exist. It’s hard to judge from where I’m sitting.
oh yes, I love that dog!
People didn’t give Cosby’s friends and co-stars a pass when they defended him.
Granted Keaton isn’t doing that here and obviously when you felt someone was a mentor, friend and who you credit with your career is accused of something, it’s going to hit you in a way that most of us can’t and hopefully will never have to understand however, there is a tendency based on that to automatically dismiss the victims claims simply because it doesn’t sound like the person you know but, given the nature of his relationship with Soon Yi, you would have to ask yourself some questions and not shoot to dismiss the claims of someone.
I don’t know what I’m trying to say here but, Keaton has never struck me as someone who ever believed the accusations.
The dog is gorgeous – does anybody know what breed it is?
I think it’s important to remember that pedos, abusers, etc are multi-faceted. They are not the monsters under your bed- they are typically your neighbors. Diane knows THIS Woody- a different Woody then Dylan (unfortunately) knows. People have different sides…..When I hear someone say “he couldn’t have done that?! I’m friends with him & he’s great!” I want to pull my hair out. It’s also a conundrum- do we separate the artist from the art? Do we condemn every part of someone because of one horrible part? I, for one, do. I will never, ever watch a Woody movie or Polanski. They are dead to me but I understand how others would. Diane knew her version of Woody & Foster knew her version of Mel. They can be good friends, nice guys to these women and still be a POS.
+1 They have problems and I woundn’t want to be them and they are still part of the human race and deserve to have their good traits remembered and their good deeds recounted. Not whitewashed, mind you, but remembered and considered.
I wonder how it would be different if either of them (Allen, Polanski) showed any remorse or tried to repent. I agree with your idea that people are multifaceted, and I’ve stayed close to people who’ve done some terrible things, at the time rationalizing it because they’ve been working toward redemption. And where do you cross the line? Jerome Robbins was awful, sadistic and emotionally abusive to dancers (to the point where no one warned him and he stepped backward–into the orchestra pit). Does it have to be a convictable crime before the work is colored by the artists’ behavior?
Yes! If they showed any remorse- any inkling of trying to right their wrong then…..To be honest I’d still think they were horrible but maybe other people would give them a candle? But they haven’t shown any remorse at all & that is what makes them the biggest scumbags. Both these men are standing strong in their stances that what they did was “okay” (and both have been admitted- Woody marrying his girlfriend’s daughter & Polanski raping a 13-yr-old). I can’t separate the art from the artist- I have no desire to see a movie that a pedophile made or give him a fraction of my ticket money but I do understand and see other people’s thinking. If you “know” someone & love them then it’s hard to cut the ties. I think the lesson is that if someone is nice to you it doesn’t mean they aren’t a horrible person behind closed doors & don’t discount the victims just because you had a different experience with that person.
I honestly wouldn’t know how to separate the artist from the art. Might be an odd example, but if Hitler had been a brillaint painter as well, would someone exibit his paintings, and admire them? Walking through a gallery being like, yeah, he was a mass murderer, but look at this incredible art! I think it’s not really about the art itself in those cases, but more about giving that person an audience, and attention…and it IS in the end an appreciation of the person creating it. As for Diane Keaton, I feel she is consciously ignorant about other people’s feelings here. I believe she’s very self-centered. Aside from that, I do not regard her a good actress. And W.Allen basically gave her a career, so I’m not surprised she feels grateful for that.
I totally agree! I can’t separate the two. I loved the Cosby show but I will never watch again. Also- Hitler did try to make his living as a painter! He did a lot of paintings but he mainly copied other famous painters from the time. For me there is a line in the sand- once you cross it then you are done. I’m okay with appreciating art from people with questionable morals or experiences but my line is at pedos, rape & murder. I never want to give a penny to one of those people or any attention. I will always look at the art that the artist created and think about their motivation….if I know the “muse” could be a kid then I’m out.
“do we separate the artist from the art?” Yes, we do and should. What kind of society are we if we are willing to throw innocent children to the wolves for the sake of great movie or painting. Can you imagine being a defenseless child and having your mind, body and soul violated and damaged for life and to then turn around and see the adults who are supposed to protect and defend you look the other way because the pedo made a rally great work of art that the adults valued better than a child’s welfare. I don’t understand anyone who separates the art from the evil doers.
I think Diane Keaton is a very talented actress and I’ve liked a lot of her movies. But aside from how I feel about her talent, I just can’t with her. When someone you know personally, intimately, has done horrible things and you stay quiet, you are in-effect supporting them. Silence speaks volumes and I can’t shake the feeling that every single actor and actress whose “worked” with Woody and stays quiet on the subject of his perversion, has simply sold out and are protecting their own reputation so they don’t get black-balled or passed up for someone more supportive. I don’t expect a rant from her against Woody, but I sure as hell don’t want to hear any praise even about his “work.”
The fact that she dated Woody, Jack Nickolson, Warren Beaty, and Sam Sheppard says it all. Average-looking woman trying to land the latest heart-throb. It wreaks of insecurity and trying to prove something.
But here’s the thing – I don’t think she believes he did awful things. Woody has always maintained that Mia Farrow twisted an innocuous event into molestation and that Dylan isn’t lying per se, she’s a victim of manipulation from her mother and mother’s family. Now, I tend to not believe that, especially with the bolstering evidence. But I can also understand how somebody could believe their friend over others. It’s hard to get past that dissonance. I see Diane as somebody who simply can’t reconcile the friend they have (and who knows, maybe Woody is an excellent friend to her, we don’t know) with what is being alleged. I don’t support it, but I understand it.
This is my take as well.
I understand that, but the we’ve all read the court documents and the police reports. If we have access to them, she does too and she would have read them, especially since he is her “friend” and she’d want to read the facts for herself. She still may not beleive the accusations, but it’s not because she doesn’t beleive “people” who made accusations. At this point, it can only be because she chooses not to beleive and I have a hard time with that. It involves denial and telling yourself everybody else is stupid for beleiving it. But I get it.
Wow. The comment about who she dated because she was insecure, “average looking” – you probably don’t date guys like that if you are average. Pretty mean-spirited to shade her that way – I think she is fairly intelligent and good looking. But I will shade her for not calling Woody Allen on his behavior, because regardless of what anyone thinks happened with Dylan, he was creepy before that with Margaux Hemingway and after with Soon Yi. Maybe he was OK when he was younger, who knows, but he has evolved into severely creepy. And I won’t watch his films, Polanski’s, or Bill Cosby’s any more. It actually makes me sad. That supposedly intelligent men should be incapable of doing what makes us civilized – which is to be able to hold our ids at bay.
Agreed. Calling her average-looking as if average women have no right to date other men in Hollywood and they’re the exclusive domain of the ‘hot babes’ is really nasty and unfair. And sexist. By all means, shade her for supporting Allen even though he abused Dylan. I am furious that she would defend Allen. But that comment insinuating average women have no right to date hot men is just so insulting and plain nasty. Very very uncalled for. TBH, I think it reeks of insecurity that a woman would put down an average woman because they had the personality to attract a heart-throb. Secure women support other women. Insecure women vent their spleen at ‘average-looking’ women having the hide to date hot guys. Sorry JenniferJustice, but you’re the one that seems insecure. VERY insecure.
I can see both sides. Diane doesn’t know the Woody that Mia and Dylan knew. She genuinely does know his as a friend, mentor, etc. And it can be really hard for anybody to believe awful things about their friends.
Truthfully, she bothers me less than, say, Cate Blanchett or Emma Stone or any of the others who just GUSH about him. Diane had a long-term relationship, both personal and professional, with him. She can speak about him on a personal level as somebody she actually knows. Cate and Emma talk about him as this great artiste who has done SO MUCH wonderful stuff for the world. They bother me more. Diane, here, seems more circumspect – she’s taking about Woody’s impact on HER, as person. She’s not telling us how we should feel about him.
So I guess I can understand Diane in that she may simply not be able to accept that her friend could be this way. Maybe she believes him when he tells her that Mia has implanted all this stuff in Dylan’s mind and that it’s really not true. Maybe she just can’t believe it. I think people have these mechanisms in their minds. But at this point, I don’t feel like ripping into her with the same level of anger I’ve felt towards some of the others. I guess I’m just slightly sad for her.
Blech.
Keaton has always lived in her own little bubble. She’s exhausting.
+++
Ummm a sidenote, she is wearing wigs in both of these pictures, right?
But also, really, how *did* she get that part in The Godfather? She always struck me as wrong for it, even when I was a young girl I could sense that.
I know! When I watched it again this year, I was like, what’s she doing in this? I had no idea that was her. I didn’t think she was terrible, though. It was one of the only roles she’s had where she wasn’t playing an ingenue who fiddled with her glasses all the time.
Looking for Mr. Goodbar, Interiors, Reds, Shoot the Moon, Little Drummer Girl, Mrs. Soffel, just some of her films between 1977-84 with no fiddling or glasses in sight. Lots more since.
Keaton and Allen have been friends for 40 years. She’s not going distance herself from him because of what others think.
When Allen was married to Lassiter (Keaton was around during this time) he had her dress like a little girl. That is abnormal behavior. He has also recently admitted he was ‘paternal’ with Soon-Yi. That is disgusting behavior. Keaton, much like many who know an abuser, take the ‘it didn’t happen to me so I’ll just ignore it’ stance. That is deplorable behavior & it shows her true character in my opinion
People take it as a reflection upon themselves that they are a bad judge of character and cannot tell the difference between good/bad people and would rather live in ignorance than acknowledge the truth.
On a happier note- fluffy puppy!
Her dog is so beautiful! Anyway I too don’t feel like yelling at her, it may be because she just talked about him in a work-related contest.. and that’s fine. If she’d have told more and defended him about the allergations then I would have been mad for sure.
I know, and so does she, that she will be attacked if she tried to defend him in that contest.
Just dropped in to say Barf.
Ditto.
Diane, my best advice to you is to keep your kids away from the Woodster until they age out of contention. Watch your back too.
Can someone weigh in: what’s the protocol when someone has been accused and confirmed of being a gross human being. There are some things that are clear as day, like marrying his YOUNGER step daughter, etc. that’s been pointed out to her and she still sticks by him.
Or is it out of professional loyalty? He really did give her a chance and a lot of work back in the day.
I hope that cover’s just been badly photoshopped. Those baggy jeans on that overly thin body is really disturbing.