Ronan Farrow has written an op-ed for the Hollywood Reporter. The piece is about Woody Allen, the media, and how victims of molestation and sexual assault are treated by the criminal justice system and in the press. You can read the full piece here at THR.
It’s a compelling long-read. Ronan not only discusses Woody’s alleged molestation of Ronan’s sister Dylan, but the media campaign to discredit Dylan, the campaign to protect Woody, and the campaign to make people forget about all of the sketchiness around Woody in general. Ronan explains what happened behind-the-scenes to get Dylan’s NYT op-ed published in February 2014, during the heat of that year’s Oscar campaign, and how journalists have historically covered the many issues surrounding Woody Allen. Ronan even takes THR to task for not even bothering to ask Woody any questions about Dylan during their interview with him last week… although, I have to say, Woody managed to make everyone’s skin crawl without even having to answer questions about Dylan.
Much like the publication of Dylan’s op-ed in 2014, I think Ronan knew what he was doing with the timing of this piece. Woody’s latest film, Café Society, is the Opening Night premiere at Cannes tonight, just hours from now. Woody has already stepped out with his cast at the photocall earlier today. So now when media outlets run the premiere photos, there will be an asterisk, as there should have been all along.
Photos courtesy of WENN.
Still have my ‘Interview” magazine w/ Mia on the cover!!!
Quite a creepy and believable story – and they were all telling it l-o-n-g ago.
Continuing to bring it up … I don’t know.
Its all been said.
I agree. This is a rehash of the same old stuff. Get over it and move on. Woody Allen is both loved and hated. And, that’s that.
Could you move on if you were molested as a child and had to continually see the man who molested you being lauded in the press? If you were silenced and called crazy? If people you admired continued to work with him?
But yes, it’s old news, so let’s just forget it and let powerful men in positions of privilege do whatever they want.
“get over it?” Really? One may be able to move on from something like this, but they will never get over it.
Are you seriously suggesting it’s unbecoming to not get over a child molestor still being applauded and allowed to make films that showcase his predatory behavior? This isn’t some cheating scandal what is your problem. This stuff should be brought up again and agsin.
So should that apply to the women Cosby raped as well?
That’s easy for anyone who hasn’t gone through what he did to say. How does one ever erase the picture from their mind of your father taking nudes of your sister and God knows what else. You can put it on the back burner, but Woody Allen is a monster and the old prick married his daughter to avoid the backlash of the day. May he rot in hell.
I don’t know what happened in that family. I can’t possibly take sides. There have not been any allegations of inappropriate behavior with children since or before. But, it is established that he had to seek therapy because of his inappropriate behavior or feelings toward Dylan. The truth may be somewhere in between. But whatever the truth, this young woman is clearly a victim of something and I don’t think it is fair to tell her or other victims of sexual assault to “get over it”
Get over it? Get over abusive behaviour and just file it under “Woody is loved and hated,comme çi comme ça”? Jesus Christ. Just because all of Hollywood has some sort of reprehensible amnesia doesn’t mean the rest of us should.
I find the comment “get over it” highly offensive. There’s no mind in question in my mind that Woody Allen is a pedophile. I also find that comment offensive on behalf of victims of sexual abuse. You are trivializing the long term psychological damage that happens. Someone who’s been sexually abused changes who they are .
Easy for you to say. I say keep bringing it up year after year and shame all the celebs that want to shut them up or clutch their pearls over it. Women and men get silenced over sexual assault all the time. Enough is enough. Silence is how Bill Cosby happened. How Penn State happened. How Spelman/Morehouse happened. Its time to make it uncomfortable for everyone until people take it seriously
Get over it? You NEVER get over being molested or raped.Its not that simple.
And it should be brought up EVERY single time he does a movie — so these celebs stop working with him.. They don’t and won’t but it makes people realize that a child could be rape and molested and nothing will stand in their way to get fame and money – even if they have families themselves. It makes me SICK.
“Get over it” is what Sarah Monaghan, a former child actress in one of Australia’s most popular family comedy shows ever, was told to do when, as an adult, she spoke out about what the man who played her father had done to her on and off set. Thankfully, she kept speaking out until, finally, he went to trial and was convicted of historical child sex crimes. We currently have a Royal Commission on this very subject taking place. Thankfully, the legal system and community are now taking victims’ allegations seriously. Silence is what protects these bastards. They count on silence. No one should ever have to “get over it”, because regardless of outward appearances, victims rarely do get over it.
I am glad others corrected you politely because I’m not sure my response would have been as measured.
Do not ever tell victims of rape or sexual assault, especially those were assaulted when they children, to just ‘get over it’. Have some compassion.
Well it’s all been said and nothing has been done about it. No backlash no justice. It’s extremely sad and speaks to our lowly state of society when people think that sexual abuse victims need to get over it and move on. No they don’t these abuses occurred and forever changed their lives they can talk and raise awareness.
I remember watching the whistle blower and mystic river and thinking the life long struggle for these victims. How horrific seeing their attackers living a life of luxury and without consequence. And they are left with such pain and anguish.
Hey you, rape victim, quit your whining. Get over it.- This is yet another reason survivors have such a hard time moving through it. You learn to become who you were supposed to be but you never “get over it.”
Well thought out article and not just a rehash.
How ignorant. Do some research, the lasting negative effects of being a child molested last a lifetime.
Yes, it’s uncomfortable that Ronan keeps bringing this up, but these kids had the worst betrayal ever. There is NO getting over especially when the POS father has not only never acknowledged what happened, apologized, tried to make amends, but instead has gone on the offensive and discredited the very child he abused. Jesus H Christ on a crutch, grow up and look at the reality Dylan had to go through.
Then there’s Woody, lionized by the entertainment industry like his behavior is n-o-t-h-i-n-g.
Woody Allen is underscorned. He groomed his now wife as an underage child. He abused Dylan and is feted still. If you read the Judges summing up at the custody trial way back in the day it pretty much leaves you with the impression that the man is a coward who used his great wealth and connections to bully, harrass and manipulate the whole situation to dig himself out of a deep and murky place. I wouldn’t let my children anywhere near this man so we shouldn’t forget, it should be continually brought up and maybe these ‘stars’ wouldn’t work with him, especially those with children to climb up the ladder of their career. The fact that he was allowed to adopt more children with his child bride just shows you that money can buy you anything and get away with any crime. Why do the victims just have to get over it?
I don’t like the get over it suggestion any more than anyone else here does but I also don’t like the insistence that no one who was raped or molested ever gets over it. That’s not true and the view that it’s an insurmountable lifetime burden actually makes it worse for some people, it did for me. Many people don’t get over it but others do and being told how you should be reacting isn’t helpful.
liberally minded: I don’t like when commenters get ambushed. I know how it feels because I have been many a time. I will give you the benefit of doubt that you don’t know what Mia and her family went through at the hands of this man. Whenever a child is molested or hurt, there is no statute of limitations. They are forever wounded and their assailant should be held accountable for life.
@Hadley
Great post.
“It should be brought up EVERY single time he does a movie.” This is exactly the point, and thank you for saying it.
She has every right to say “Yes, I’m still here, and YES, I haven’t ‘gotten over it’ yet, but thanks ever so much for the suggestion,” and I admire Ronan for standing up beside her.
It isn’t just Hollywood’s sycophantic need to bow and scrape to Allen that’s so galling, or how the industry shrugs their collective shoulders when asked to consider the established facts of Dylan’s case. One only has to look at pictures of Allen with his kids by his DaughterWife to grasp that there is something DEEPLY wrong there. That’s the hardest thing to live with, as an abuse survivor.
If it were my loved one, and I had the platform Ronan has, count on me to BRING IT. THE FUCK. UP.
Wow. “liberally minded…” Not so much. I think it would be much easier to “get over it” if Dylan had been believed. As it is, she still is fighting to have people believe her. It would probably be easier for her to “get over it” if Hollywood would just be honest and say, “We believe you. Woody is a creep. A creep who makes us lots of money, so we’re going to keep letting him do that. But yes, we believe you.” And I’m not sure how it is old news when a child molester has young children with his wife – who was also his daughter – who he got with after molesting one of his other daughters. Ugh….
Your comment literally made me feel sick to my stomach. Wow. There’s so much ignorance behind your statement…. sexual abuse of any kind is like a poison that stays with the abused person forever. “Get over it”?!?…. exactly the mind set that allows abuse to continue, and empowers abusers while shaming and silencing victims.
Get over sexual assault and just move on?
Okay! Why haven’t victims just always done this in the first place? Soooo simple. Thanks so much for clearing that up for us. Forget rape kits and therapy, folks. Get over it and just move on!
Easily the most inhuman comment I have ever read here.
No justice, no peace.
At this point – either u side with the victim – a now grown adult whose story hasn’t changed ( that I’m aware of) or a possible pedophile who married someone he helped raise. To all u woodyphiles – would u trust him to babysit your toddlers? How about your young siblings? As for me – I’ll be in the corner with my torch and pitchfork – waiting for the run on the castle.
And to the “Get over it” crowd. All I can say is by the grace of God, go I. Clearly you’ve been lucky enough to never experience such trauma. Otherwise – u wouldn’t be so cavalier. Or maybe you have and you’re just an asshole. :/
I agree wholeheartedly with all who say bring it up every year, every movie, every time this man is honored by those who prefer to sweep it under the rug. I also hope that when he dies the articles about him include the fact that he was a unrepentant child abuser.
One question though…would you leave Woody Allen in charge of your young daughter/niece/or friend of the family and not think twice about it? Yeah no-I thought so.
Get over it and move on? Wow…
Also to the commenter who said that victims do get over it. True. Normal lives. Functional relationships and work lives. Not walking around with a gloomy cloud overhead every single day. It doesn’t mean you don’t get to talk about it every now and then. Or grieve your past every now and then. You never forget it. The comment implied stop talking about it and just forget about it.
If I had an abuser who was a celebrated director I’d be blogging and protesting every premiere, no matter how over it I am, until he stopped being celebrated.
I’m adopted, and you know who makes me side eye? Mia Farrow! She is a classic example of someone who adopts for the absolutely wrong reasons than manipulates her children. The public doesn’t know this whole story.
@Bohemianmartini I wouldn’t trust him to babysit my grandmother.
Unpopular opinion here, but I also back the “get over it” (but maybe would have phrased it softer.) I am a survivor — my dad (ugh)… i could be mad at the world or all men and bring it up constantly. A couple years of therapy helped me realize that attitude was only hurting me. The damage was done, and I learned how to “get over it” and now, some years later, am able to say “well, it was a crappy deal i got, but it’s over, and the cycle will end with me.” For my part, dwelling on it made it much worse and kept me a bit bitter. Conversely, my sister has never let it go, nor did she seek counseling, and she is now living a very lonely life of distrust and bitterness. I believe in this instance, Dylan must surely realize that nothing is going to come of it: she put it on the record, and people can think what they will. It’s terribly hard to live your life waiting for justice.
“Get over it” is probably what Jim Bob and Michelle told their daughters
@catfoodjunky You are coming from a place to encourage healing. The OP is not. Dylan has gone on to have a life but since her abuser is in the public stage she can’t really avoid him.
I’m sincerely glad you were able to heal and not let the abuse define you.
liberally it is that mind set that has allowed abusers to get away. If it were u or your child,would u simply let it be? Were talking about the rape of a child by a powerful Hollywood director, of course her brother will keep going when people put him on a pedastal. It disgusts me how these actors overlook his criminal behavior to work for for him. Question, would Blake let him watch her kids?
Thank God that the victims of Bill Cosby are no longer being told to “Get over it”
Lol move on when he’s never suffered a day for his transgressions. I’m sure it’s easy for the victims to just move on when they see him at his latest and greatest movie premiere enjoying everyones praise and defense of their abuser.
Did you read the full article? I actually found it quite interesting. Yes the story about Woody’s molestation is old news, but I think Ronan’s op Ed provided some interesting insight as to how the media protects powerful, abusive men.
I wouldn’t even care if there wasn’t one drop of new news! This story needs to get told OVER AND OVER AND OVER until maybe one day, people feel a little bit ashamed for working with Woody and he loses his “respect”
Bohemianmartini: Love your post! Maybe you’re just an asshole!! Perfect……
You can tell you didn’t read the oped. Its not just a retrial. Give it a read before you comment. And while I agree Hollywood refuses to address Woody – its a much bigger problem and issue. In light of the Cosby allegations esp.
Everyone jumped on Liberally Minded (as they should & I think it’s a troll) but Stinky’s comment “continuing to bring it up…..i don’t know. It’s all been said” was just a polite way to say the exact thing that Liberally Minded said. At least Liberally Minded just said it rather then putting a bunch of periods behind an “i don’t know'”. And “it’s all been said” is just a way of saying “get over it” and quit talking.
It has all been said and Woody has never had consequences for his actions. That keeps people talking. If someone is a known child molester & keeps going on life & interacting with kids, then yes, I think people should keep talking about it. Does no one think of he daughters?!
It’s damned if you do, damned if you don’t. The same people who say “it’s been said” are the same people who say “why didn’t the women who Cosby assaulted come forward earlier?” smdh and I hope today is a day of learning……
Excellent point. I think they both had the same disgusting message.
Nah – not trolling 🙁
I’ve followed this icky case and no way think folks should just get over their trauma. please. there’s just no ‘justice’ here, it’s all bad. His piece IS a good read with excellent observations (as I added later, downthread).
However, Hollywood has indeed continued to work with him.
They are doing so.
I said “I don’t know” (with dots) because I DONT know what can be done to stop that. Boycotting the actors/actresses who star in his films seems ridiculous to me.
Agreed! Disgusting.
I’ve just seen similar sentiment in the comments another usually progressive site. Ronan says he watched publicists lies start from blogs and then slowly gain momentum in the mainstream. I wouldnt be surprised if the PR team is pulling a Scientology move and planting comments on various sites to test out the reception.
I bet you they release a “this is old news, just see how bitches be crazy” statement tomorrow.
I got what you meant, Stinky. I took your comment as expressing the overall helplessness/hopelessness of the situation.
Wow, Liberallyminded, maybe you should get over it . . .
I think that’s what happened with Bill Cosby (pushing it under the rug) until finally someone’s comment took traction. I think Ronan may hope for the same about Woody.
I’m getting creepy blond Sinatra realness from those photos.
Is he sinatras child? I’ve read those rumors but looking at his face, I SEE Sinatra looking back!!
@CatFoodJunkie . Thanks for sharing. I, too, am a survivor. Which is why I feel so uncomfortable about the kangaroo court surrounding this woody allen situation. For years, due to familial issues, I “fingered” the wrong person for years. When I broke away from my co-dependent family, I realized I was manipulated into thinking it was person “B” when it was really person “A.” I am not saying that Mia molested her kid…..but I can’t help but remember that Mia’s brother was jailed for pedophilia…..
@mytake You raise a very important point that so often goes without notice. Being abused is hard enough without being manipulated by your own family for “political” reasons on top of it! This is actually somewhat common in issues concerning child abuse. I wish you well, and hope you’ve gotten the help and healing that you need.
yeah but Kristen Stewart does not know those people!
she did her due diligence though, she discussed it with the guy from social network
good to know, i heard he survived a genocide.
Maria 😂😂😂You win the internet today! Brilliant 😂😂😂
Yes Maria…very funny!!
Powerful and incredibly heartbreaking piece by Ronan Farrow. I got chills…
He strikes me as a really thoughtful, perceptive man. Woody Allen is pure garbage.
Also a fun fact: Ronan once owned a Scottish Fold named Basil 🙂
I agree! Woody Allen is disgusting…how he still gets to work is beyond me.
Like protects like.
@SydneySnider EXACTLY.
Right on Kitt.
I’m happy Dylan Farrow is managing to deal with her family past, and now starting her own family.
Whenever I see Woody Allen in the news I think of his kids and the incredible trauma they suffered because of him. Not only do I believe Dylan, but I strongly suspect his sexual relationship with Soon-Yi began when she was much, much younger than the 17/18 Allen alledges. It has to be so painful for them to see how he is still respected in Hollywood.
Even if the sexual relationship didn’t start prior to her being 17, the grooming certainly did.
Powerful women, like Cate Blanchette (who I generally love) work with Woody Allen. Kristen Stewart. Women who could write their own tickets and easily refuse, especially since Allen is tainted by this and also isn’t that good anymore. They continue to work with this asshole. Why??? What’s in it for them?? If we can figure that out, then I think we can begin to understand the male/female dynamic in Hollywood.
I dont… how can people work with him!? That just proves how desperate Hollywood is, they’re going to work with a child molester. I realize they’re just accusations, but something that gross and that serious needs to be taken .. well… seriously. There are so many facts supporting the fact that he molested her, and these people defend him! So he can make the same boring ass movies! I’m done. I’m so grossed out, need to go take a hand sanitizer shower.
People wont work with Bill Cosby and those are also accusations. (which I happened to believe) So why is it that many accomplished actors who don’t need the work would cut off their right arm to work with Woody Allen? People worked with Roman Polanski an admitted child molester. Don’t get it.
Because Allen and Polanski still have their prestige. And i think someone else here noted in the comments when the Cosby posts were more frequent: Cosby’s handlers/protectors are dead or no longer have clout in the industry, while Polanski and Allen are still very much “in” with the powerful elite.
Also Cosby is a Black man. It’s easier to criminalize Black people than white men.
David Bowie knowingly slept with an underage girl (a 15 year old virgin) and Gandhi slept next to his naked underage niece as an exercise in self-discipline but no one really seems to care about any of that either.
@sanders, I appreciate your sentiment and agree that it’s almost always the case. But I’m amazed that Michael Jackson’s premature death erased everything we knew about his habits. Rarely does a week go by without his genius being celebrated on a TV show I watch.
@TwistBarbie – and Mick Jagger with Mackenzie Phillips, Brad Pitt with Juliette Lewis, Paul Walker and the under aged girl he was with. The list goes on and on. I think attractive men get away with this a lot more than the ugly ones. Having said that, there’s obviously a difference between sleeping with underage girls, and molesting your young child, and grooming your girlfriend’s underage daughter.
Cosby isn’t in the same business of employing actors to make movies so the work comparison isn’t really valid. If he were still leading a popular TV show, it would be easy to see who was still willing to support/work with him.
Overall, the narcissistic actors would rather advance their own careers than take a stand about these pervs. They only rant and rave when it’s politics or something not so directly related to their fame and fortune.
But the prosecution didn’t go ahead – indicating there was insufficient evidence. The fact Ronan implies the prosecutor made a personal like decision not to go ahead is debatable. Prosecutors are bound by law to prosecute if someone is charged with a crime.
They can’t avoid it as they represent the public interest, not the private interest.
That’s not what I’ve read about the reasons. The prosecutor said there was probable cause but declined charging him because Mia didn’t want to because it was traumatizing Dylan.
per that vanity fair article, the state attorney said he had probable cause but was worried about the fragility of the victim. he couldn’t prosecute w/o putting dylan on the stand.
Not true — there was evidence in the Jon Benet case for the parents but DA decided against it because of lots of reasons — cost, failure to get a win — but he had evidence they were guilty.
READ THE ARTICLE! I’m sorry to shout but this man and his apologists make me ragey. Read. The. Article. The case was never dismissed!! It was dropped because the victim was already so fragile, was being put through endless questioning, had no anonymity, was facing Woodys insane PR and legal machinr and was about to be part of the most widely covered case ever at the time. Both her mother and the prosecutor were concerned that she wouldn’t survive. The prosecutor said as much.
By the way if you bothered to read it, you would know that Woodys publicists have deliberately exploited this ignorance to suggest that the case was dismissed for lack of evidence. People like you continue to spread these lies and they became entrenched in the public consciousness, making Dylans struggle for justice that much harder. Shame on you. Also read the damn article next time.
I completely agree with everything you said. A couple of years ago, he filmed a movie in my neighborhood. It was a happening, and so I took my two small boys to look at the set. As soon as Woody Allen came outside to start filming, I immediately put a protective hand on their shoulders. It was instinct.
Ronan is now a grown man and still this is what haunts him most. I’m sure it is cathartic for him to release his angst and total horror of the person that is Woody Allen and those in Hollywood who wouldn’t take off their blinders. This all happened so many years ago and I hope a new generation will see how evil Allen is and boycott his film. With all this being said, I do hope Ronan has some happiness in his life and doesn’t allow Allen to steal his future like he destroyed his past.
Ronan likes to create stories about the law. I would like to read the prosecutor’s side of the story. The way Ronan tells it, one would think the prosecutor represents the Farrow personal interest.
Prosecutors work for the public interest. If there was cogent evidence, they would prosecute. Child abuse is a crime.
before any charges were file, they were all already in therapy for inappropriate touching and people who worked for them were advised never to leave dylan alone with woody
the prosecutor couldn’t prosecute w/o dylan on the stand and he was concerned for her welfare
if you haven’t read the orig long vanity fair article, it’s a good read and full of a ton of information
@EM There you go again. Still wrong here too.
–TheRealPinky
@EM
you typed this, so I know you are capable of reading. Now go read Ronans article and be embarrassed that you dropped this ignorant comment before you did.
I shudder to think that Dylan has had to hear Woodys lies such as these and not have the power to fight back.
@EM — you are incredibly naive if you think that’s how the law works. You also obviously didn’t read the article.
Nancy, that’s what gets me every time Ronan speaks on this issue. He’s a gown man with a documented genius IQ and a good life, but he clearly still hurts very much from Woody’s abuse towards his family, physical and/or psychological. It’s not a trivial thing.
ETA, EM documented physical abuse is a crime, yes, and maybe they don’t have enough evidence to prosecute, but marrying his teenage step daughter, Ronan’s sister, was not, technically a crime. It tore up a family and caused deep, irreparable hurt, though. And the psychology of someone who would do that to his own children suggests a mindset capable of other abuses.
Gur-oss
I whish the media conduct a story shaming all the actors who worked with the pervert in front page, and a detailed invastigation concerning Woody Allen mariage there’s obvioulsy some dirt there.
This, and also with fellow pedo Polanski. I side eye every actor who works with them because they are such gross people and media keeps giving them a pass because of their “talent”.
It breaks my heart for their victims. Just a couple of weeks ago, there was a protest in my country against harassment and abuse against women, while some were sharing their stories in social media with the hashtag #miprimeracoso (meaning “my first harassment), it was painful to read how harassment and abuse are so common that we even perceive some kinds of it as normal, and women are always blamed by the actions of these bunch of perverts.
I love that Ronan named names. Mic drop. He just called you fools out (the actors who work with Allen).
Greenieweenie – THIS.
In 2009, a letter was published with a long list of actors, actresses, directors, and producers calling for Polanski to be pardoned from the charges against him.
It’s no surprise Woody Allen was one of those to sign it, along with a downright shameful amount of others I had previously respected. I gave up on so many people after that.
I heard great things about Snowpiercer (Tilda Swinton) and Philomena (Stephen Frears), but I’ve never seen them. I still miss re-watching Animal House (John Landis) or The Royal Tenenbaums (Wes Anderson) from time to time, but I don’t do it.
Taking a stand means making sacrifices – something so few people are willing to do.
I did see Birdman, simply because I forgot about Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu’s inclusion, and have not seen The Revenant (though that is for many, many reasons).
good point, I make a point to never watch Woody Allen or Roman Polansky movies but I should avoid all of the people who signed that or worked with Allen. I remember growing up my dad would always say, We don’t buy Mitsubishi or Volkswagen because those companies were complicit–or Ford, because Henry Ford was an anti-Semite. I’m down with that. I know it makes zero difference to anyone in any position of power and you are always inadvertently contributing to some exploitation somewhere, but I think it means something for other people to know that you can exercise choice on whatever grounds you want. I think it can make others a little less willing to worship at the altar of capitalism.
I’m totally with you a using your own agency to try to take a stand, turning capitalism into a way to make that happen, as I’m something of a serial boycotter.
I don’t buy L’Oreal products due to their connections with the Nazis. I stay away from Disney for the most part, although I’m not 100% on that (I’ve got kids and Pixar movies are where it’s at for me too) due to Walt Disney’s rampant antisemitism.
I don’t buy anything from companies that test on animals (Cetaphil face wash and Benefit lip and cheek tint, I miss you!) and you couldn’t pay me to go see The Birth of a Nation when it comes out later this year because of Nate Parker’s sexual assault history.
Domino’s was founded by a Pro-Life activist who funneled money into anti-choice groups, as was Carl’s Jr. Chick-fil-a pushes “traditional family values” and denounces the LGBTQ community – hard pass.
I also tend to stay away from restaurants and stores that have bad histories towards breastfeeding mothers.
I’m aware of how unbearable this can make me sound, but I look at it as at least being able to sleep somewhat peacefully, knowing I’m doing my part the best way that I can: by using the way I spend my money to send a message, even if I’m the only one who knows it.
I don’t go around tell everybody all of this all the time. If it comes up I talk about it, but I try to just go on about my life and to not allow society to tell me how to think and feel and backing up my views with my actions, which is something I’m trying to be sure to teach my children.
@byland, I’m glad you bring this up. It drives me crazy how actors like Natalie Portman are constantly called out for signing the Polanski petition, but others like Harrison Ford are given a pass. And so many actors are called to task for working with Woody Allen, while others like Cate Blanchett are excused and even cheered on for winning an Oscar.
I avoid all Hollywood movies because nearly every actor and director defended Polanski strenuously. Many of them (like Johnny Depp) said what he did was okay because “artists” are allowed to do what they like to lesser beings. Others went the Whoopi Goldberg route of claiming that drugging and sodomizing a girl who was sobbing and begging him to stop wasn’t “rape rape.” Then there were those who said it was all the mother’s fault, like mothers are allowed to sell their daughters to rapists.
Interestingly, most Hollywood WRITERS condemned, and continue to condemn, him. But most writers aren’t celebrities.
byland: Good for you. I try my best to avoid animal cruelty or associations that are questionable. At least you know you are doing your part.
The prosecution should have gone ahead. The argument that it didn’t due to not subjecting the child to more trauma is a tad convenient. Let the prosecutor speak and say that. The thing is the child will be traumatised in any manner, even if the prosecution does not go ahead. When prosecutions do not go ahead it’s not about avoiding trauma, as he claims, it’s about a lack of satisfactory evidence.
Prosecutors are legally bound to prosecute when there is evidence, as they work for the state and the public interest, not the private interest and this is why I find Ronan’s argument to be fallacious on a legal level. Prosecutors do not work for victims in a private capacity yet he makes out that the prosecutor made a private decision not to pursue a case. What hogwash.
The prosecutor in the case literally said outright that they had the evidence to prosecute.
Then why didn’t they?
They are bound to – if there are criminal charges.
My view is, you either go ahead with it or you don’t and if you don’t, then you have to decide what road you take, because this type of OP-ED thing is just as traumatic for a person who allegedly experienced the abuse directly, yet here he is writing it all again, while his sister is the victim. To accomplish what?
It’s obvious that Hollywood is not going to ostracise him.
It’s obvious that the police aren’t charging him & the Farrow family is not pressing charges. So what does Ronan seek to achieve? How many OP-EDs is he going to publish each year?
read the Vanity Fair article. He said he had enough evidence but he refused to put Dylan on the stand because he didn’t want to put her through that. Without Dylan taking the stand, he couldn’t prosecute Allen.
He’s not required by law to put a victim on the stand.
Ok, who is this EM person and why is s/he all over the comments peddling the same lie over and over again?!
1) He was reluctant to do the piece when Hollywood Reporter approached him because he knew the character assassination would target him, his sister and his mother. He decided to do it because he is sick of how the media covers up for powerful men who rape. He gave multiple examples of this.
2) When his sister finally decided to speak out a few years ago, Ronan tried to stop her. He knew it would be a difficult battle for her and the family and that Woodys cronies would damage his media career. He relented when he saw how important it was for her to get this out.
3) The prosecutor withdrew the case because both he and Mia could see how fragile Dylan had become. All this before the protections now in place for victims, Woodys team would have ripped her to shreds. The prosecutor made that clear. As did the custody judge who declared that Dylan must be protected from Woody at all costs.
How hard is it to Read. The. Damn. Linked. Article. before launching an attack on victims and their families? SMDH.
Woody Allen is a troll magnet. Please stop feeding them.
@Naya, it reminds me of Sharyl Attkisson’s Propaganda and Astroturf TED speech (which is on Youtube).
I don’t know if you’re from America, but you are dead wrong about why prosecutors choose to or choose not to prosecute. They ABSOLUTELY DO make that choice based on the fragility of victims, and protecting victims. If these allegations were bogus, there wouldn’t have been any caveat about Allen barely being allowed to have anything to do with Dylan moving forward. Based on your argument, you certainly are not a law scholar, nor do you know anyone in the DA’s office, nor anyone who works for CPS for that matter.
–TheRealPinky
I live in a different country, but you can’t have initiate a prosecution unless someone is charged with committing a crime. The DPP we have in my country is not controlled by a single prosecutor in each state & individual prosecutors do not make executive decisions & there is a hierarchy of legal representatives and prosecutors. There are various means to protect the victim, such as anonymising the hearing & closed hearings. You cannot just prosecute on allegations, there has to be relevant evidence that directly or indirectly affects the probability of the existence of a fact in issue.
The fact that he is not to have anything to do with his daughter can be based on allegation, but that has not been tested in a tribunal of fact & because it has not, it does not necessarily lead to the conclusion that a crime has been committed.
There have been many cases in the United States where therapists have implanted false memories in children, who have grown up to accuse their parents of sex abuse. The work of Elizabeth Loftus has established that.
I have a law degree thank you very much – for your patronising response – and all Ronan’s op-eds are attempts at trial by media and nothing more.
Preach Pinky. And if our justice system was so great we wouldn’t have such a low conviction rate with sexual assault victims.
@EM Well, you don’t have a law degree that has anything to do with law in AMERICA. Which is where this took place, where the laws are, the jurisdictions, and the prosecutorial statutes and processes. So, you’re still wrong. Good for you and your country that you do things differently, but what happens where you are is not what happens here, so stop trying to suggest that it is.
–TheRealPinky
@EM, EVERYTHING is trial by media, what on earth do you think the media is for? The Civil Rights movement was a freaking trial of the American conscience, for goodness’ sake.
Does EM realize that this case happened in the eighties, before many of these protections were available to victims? Does she also know that it would be impossible to anonymize Dylan today much less then, when the accused is her father and also the most feted comedy director of all time?
I’m gonna need the paperwork on that supposed law degree much less high school graduation. We’ve had to watch this girls pain shoved aside for far too long, I have lost all patience for Woody, his army of PR plants and his shameless apologists.
@EM It is immaterial which country we live in, at the end of the day everyone concerned within the court (apart from Woody’s hired ‘experts’ ) and her family did what was right by a 7 year child. So in an ideal world of course it should have gone to court and perhaps if the custody trial hadn’t been so harrowing for the child they might well have done so. Woody hired all the best to represent him and Dylan was really put through the mill by those hired doctors and attorneys. We do not live in an ideal work and having witnessed the devastation which comes with abuse within families, in this situation I feel they did the right thing by putting the child first at that time
he has spoken and said that, his name is frank maco
perhaps you should look it up if you are so insistent that you know what really happened
PINKY, I always enjoy reading your comments and what you contribute in general however, not in this case. Perhaps you’re passionate about this topic because it not what you’re saying, it’s how you’re saying it. You come across as down right rude to EM. Loss of respect from me.
@Aussie
@EM Im a lawyer so I know everything tone was not only rude but condescending to Pinky especially since it turns out EM doesn’t know what he/she is talking about
So why are you only tone policing Pinky ???
@Aussie Girl
I have always enjoyed Pinkys comments and she has gone up yet another notch in my estimation. Nobody has the time to coddle pedo defenders who didnt even bother to read the article they are spewing about. If you cant see that I’m not sure your respect was worth having. I hope Pinky doesnt miss it.
Pinky, you have only gone up in my book as well. This isn’t about someone’s opinion and I don’t think EM read the article before making these comments. Don’t claim you have a law degree online and then continue to sound ignorant af. Naya- I absolutely can not with Woody Allen defenders either.
You’ve gone up in my opinion too, for what it’s worth.
EM – prosecutors work for the crown (in Canada) or the state (in the US). You are absolutely wrong that a prosecutor has to proceed at the risk of permanently harming a fragile child. Luckily in many jurisdictions laws have progressed since the 1980’s – children can now testify via CCTV in another room or sometimes their video police statements can be used. The prosecutor has to look at the bigger picture, and does not work for the complainant or their family. But the victim’s well being is and must be one of the prime considerations. And the prosecutor has repeatedly said there was evidence but the child was too fragile. It is one of the hardest decisions a prosecutor EVER has to make. Be glad you’ve never had to do it. Sit down until you know what you are talking about.
I don’t think EM has attended law school because the first thing you learn in law school is that different countries have different laws.
Criminal codes and procedure are not the same in every country and the concept of prosecutorial discretion tends to exist in common law based countries like the US, UK and commonwealth countries, as opposed to European civil law based countries.
Suggesting that a trial doesn’t happen only because there is no evidence also suggests EM never practiced law because in real life not everything follows a legal procedure text book.
But what do I know, I have only actually practiced law and conducted trials, both criminal and civil.
Nic919 – well put. Me too (re doing criminal trials)
It’s a powerful piece. Just don’t venture into the comments section if you value your sanity.
yes… it was a very thoughtful piece – agree… I didn’t go into the comment section but im going to NOW… dang it!!
well I couldn’t find the comments but I did dig this up:
http://www.vanityfair.com/magazine/1992/11/farrow199211
its all been said but im old – I know a lot of you probably haven’t read it.
I keep ALL my Vanity Fairs and there is some amazing articles – I mean 12+ pages etc. Michael Jackson (wow, so many articles). Maureen Orth is fearless.
My favorite VF article of all-time was their interview with RDJ when he was in jail. So sooo good.
I made that mistake. Dear Lord, what a scary lot. The excuses made for Allen are unbelievable. Because she was not officially his step-daughter, it was ok? WTF?? I know there are stupid people in the world but I suppose I was holding out for more from the human race…..
The comments are straight-up insane. Folks justifying what he did because she’s not his bio daughter, others blaming “liburals” for Woody’s crimes lol..I’m surprised I didn’t see a “Thanks, Obama” in there.
Yes, and ditto for the DM comments section today below the news of Ronan’s op-ed – they were stunningly brutal toward Dylan, Mia, and Ronan – and so similar in tone that in reading them it quickly became clear to me that Woody’s press team was out in force and working overtime to discredit the well-documented story of Allen’s abuse of Dylan. Odd that anyone doubts this story anyway, considering:
–Woody Allen’s own movies, in which older men are constantly paired romantically with very young or even underage (“Manhattan”) girls
–the documentation of Dylan’s case, which the prosecutor went on record as saying he HAD the evidence to prosecute but was not moving forward because of the young victim’s fragile state
–the documented fact that Allen was already in therapy before the alleged incident because of his obsessive, inappropriate, and unfatherly attentions to Dylan
–the fact that on the day of the alleged incident in the attic, Dylan was shortly afterwards found by a nanny to be missing her underpants beneath her dress
–the testimony by a nanny about an occasion in which she walked into a room and found Allen with his face in Dylan’s crotch
–Allen’s affair with his own young step-daughter, Soon-Yi, and the pornographic photos he took of Soon-Yi, whom he later married (and with her adopted two children, both – unsurprisingly – little girls).
I’m not being facetious but I didn’t see a media campaign try to discredit Dylan. Everything I read was sympathetic to her and blasted Woody Allen.
Didn’t Barbara Walters say on The View that she knew Woody and that he was a great father after Dylan’s essay?
I don’t know if Barbara Walters said that, but she’s always coddled her friends. Kathy Hilton is an amazing mother, and Anna Wintour is a kind and loving woman – just shy and misunderstood.
There was a small contingent of media claiming that Dylan was making it all up or that she was brainwashed by Mia.
The general public is pretty sympathetic to Dylan because most of us can look at Allen and see a creepy man. Hollywood is an extremely insular community populated by a bunch of “artistes” who feel as though they are above the whole fray. And that’s not new. The Art World is famous for looking the other way when it comes to their own (Polanski, for one). The people with power are in the pro-Allen camp – or, more likely, the I-just-don’t-care-because-I-like-his-movies camp.
No, that’s not accurate. During the case, Woodys team and PR put up a pretty big case that Mia was responsible for putting Dylan up to it as a kid… And still to this day, anytime Dylan speaks on it – even as an adult, she’s hit with from the media that she’s lying. And Mia made it all up. Woody’s entire argument was Mia is crazy and jealous. But as a 5yo you may ignore all the signs from the court of public opinion. But Dylan as an adult still is still very vocal about the ordeal. And now, so is Ronan, who clearly remembers. There was shady dealings on both Woody and Mia’s side but one thing has always been clear, Woody’s actions were deemed unfit. He won’t be prosecuted against but that doesn’t mean he’s innocent. The case was not put through – he was never declared innocent and Woody worked very hard to slander Mia and Dylan. So, he’s right. Every intw regarding Woody, and the actors that choose to work with him gloss over this trivial incident like a speed bump and not a major repugnant error is his history. I’m sure, like the Cosby women, it feels like Dylan will never see justice.
No one will say it so I’ll say it. I am very curious if Hollywood studios and esp the media/critics will come after Woody like they did rightly so for Cosby. One of their own. I don’t think they will. It was much easier to sweep under the rug in the 70s with Polanski raping a 15yo. Woody allegedly molesting his daughter and then marrying his daughter (father-figure) throughout the 80’s… again everyone looked away and it was easier to claim Mia was crazy so Woody could keep working than to face the demon among them. But will his peers in Hollywood really address one of their own… the way Cosby’s community had to address him. I doubt it. Sadly.
Also Kaiser, the timing was based on Woody’s front cover THR piece that Ronan publicly @ Rebecca of THR – which was just last week or so. Rebecca must have offered him room for an op-ed. THR decided to drop the morning of Woodys premiere.
I read what Woody’s team wrote when it was published. And I observed that it was longer than what Dylan wrote. I’m really glad Ronan took this angle.
Allen got someone to write an article for him (think it was the director of a documentary on him) in the Daily Beast. He also wrote a response op-ed in the NYT and got one of his sons to say that Farrow was making the allegations up (think this made a People magazine cover).
There were/are a significant number of people who have been vocal in saying how Mia Farrow is “crazy,” also.
This. Also, media houses actually refused to carry Dylans story. When one finally did, it was with lots of caveats. They subsequently afforded Woody the same space and didnt add caveats to his story.
Writing a piece like that sends the cue to doubt Dylan and believe Woody. All part of the design.
Yes, a lot of Hollywood types are in Woody’s corner. The public may be on Dylan’s side, but Hollywood (and NYC) sides with Woody.
If this happened today, I think the reporting would be very different. At this point, the only justice Dylan and her family will get is a public shunning of Woody. Hopefully this article will set off the same kind of fire storm a joke by Hannibal Buress started.
Then you dint look very far, I was triipping over articles at the time labelling Mia crazy and thus by extension Dylan crazy. A lot of the media didn’t get involved which speaks very loudly for investigating journalists in every country. But online, in LA and New York, on television Dylan’s account was dismissed out of hand. woody’s publicists went into overdrive.
To be fair, Mia was labelled crazy long before she ever met Allen. The rumours and stories have been around since her first break, when she was on Peyton Place, and they only got louder after she married Sinatra.
I believe Allen molested Dylan. No question. But Mia’s behaviour was terrible in its own way, and acknowledging that isn’t the same as defending Allen. Her daughter, who she believes to be mentally incapacitated, was groomed by her husband, and when she found out she felt angry and betrayed by the DAUGHTER! She didn’t help Soon-Yi, didn’t fight for her, just treated her like the other woman. The narrative of Soon-Yi and Allen having an ‘affair’ rather than it being an abuse situation, that came from Farrow and her camp from day one. And then there’s Dylan. Farrow admitted she’d suspected something for a while. She did nothing for a stretch, eventually told the nanny to watch Allen around Dylan, then continued doing nothing. It wasn’t until Allen left her that she actually got her child help. If Allen hadn’t of run off with Soon-Yi, it seems she never would have addressed the situation. At best she comes off as extremely neglectful, at worst she knew more than enough and didn’t really care so long as Allen was still putting her in his movies.
He is a dead ringer for Frank Sinatra
I came to say this very thing. Holy cow.
The most striking resemblance isn’t even in the eye color or the shape of his face, it’s in the subtle mannerisms from when Frank was young. A lot probably don’t regularly watch videos of 1940s Frank talking, so it’s not something many people would catch, but go watch some on youtube or TCM and then watch videos of Ronan talking. It’s eerie (in a nice way).
I don’t see it.Besides Roman wearing those blue contacts I don’t see any common features.
Seriously? The nose, the eyes, the mouth… They’re practically doppelgangers.
Yeah, I mean his biological parentage seems pretty obvious, but he was raised as Woody’s son, brother to Dylan and Soon Yi. The fact that he was conceived through his mother’s affair with a married man isn’t hs fault (though genetically he won the lottery. I’m sure he’s fine not being Woody’s biological son).
I’m not saying it is his fault. I am saying he looks like Frank. Before I read the headline, I saw the pic, and I thought wow, that guy looks like Frank Sinatra. That sly smirk even, wow.
Sorry, DR, I didn’t think you were saying it was his fault, but it must be a tad weird for him to see that in the mirror.
No, look at pictures of a young Mia Farrow. He looks like her. I think he plays up the Sinatra thing, but he’s all Mia.
Nope, he has Mia’s eyes and coloring, but the nose, mouth and smirk are all Frank. Look at the nose especially:
https://nyppagesix.files.wordpress.com/2013/10/ronansinatracomposite3.jpg?quality=90&strip=all&w=1033
yeah all i see is her father, john farrow
Totally agree he looks like Mia and her father
The surgery helped.
How young was he when he had plastic surgery? I googled pics of him as a kid, in some he’s with Woody, and there’s just no resemblance.
Google his grandfather, John Farrow–who looks stunningly like Frank Sinatra himself, except the nose.
Ronan has hazel-blue eyes, his contacts give him that Sinatra blue look.
And his nose was done I would guess in his late teens. It is different in pics where he looks to be in his early-mid teens, but then we don’t see any pictures for a while.
If you look at pictures of a younger Sinatra, especially side views, the resemblance slips a lot. Then go back and look at pics of his grandfather again
He looks like John Farrow and Sinatra. He also looks a lot like a childhood picture of Frank Sinatra Jnr
I always thought he looked more like Steve McQueen, but Steve McQueen died in 1980 so it doesn’t quite add up LOL
Absolutely. Look at those eyes, he can’t be anyone else’s son!
Blue contact lenses,plastic surgery
He really is. It’s possible he has a coincidental resemblance, because he looks massively like Mia Farrow, and he’s playing it up because he doesn’t want anyone (including himself) to think he’s biologically related to Woody Allen. Who knows. Ronan sure is a handsome guy, though, and more importantly, he seems to actually be a decent one. That’s an accomplishment in Hollywood.
Kaiser’s take, October of last year, on whether Ronan was Frank’s son:
“It’s pretty clear that Sinatra was, at the time of Ronan’s conception, a very sick man. Not to mention the fact that he would have been able to perform to completion at the age of 71, with significant health problems, a possible vasectomy and/or malfunctioning penile implant AND while he was in Palm Springs and Hawaii. All while Fertile Myrtle Mia was at home in NYC. So, yeah. I’m not saying Woody Allen is Ronan’s father, I’m just saying Frank Sinatra is in all likelihood not his father.”
Such a good read. I stumbled over this part though: “The correction points to what makes Allen, Cosby and other powerful men so difficult to cover. The allegations were never backed by a criminal conviction. This is important. It should always be noted. But it is not an excuse for the press to silence victims, to never interrogate allegations.”
Yes. But that’s not nearly the end of it. What about Polanski? He fled a conviction that was definitely about to happen. Doesn’t seem to matter to most people in the industry.
But, you know, good on Kristen and Jesse for at least “talking about it”. At which point does the press decide to do their job?
I don’t think that equating the Allen situation with the Cosby situation is appropriate. I think this is where Ronan looses me completely.
The Allen case is about an allegation of a single incident that allegedly occurred during a very ugly divorce. Law enforcement took it seriously and it was indeed investigated. There have been no allegations of child sexual abuse before or after this incident. Not that I am saying it did not happen. I am just saying that context is important. I don’t think anyone care fairly ask actors and the media to take a position here when even the family itself is entirely unsure and divided about what did or did not happen.
The Cosby situation involves at least 60 women who were drugged and raped over a period of many years. This is where the media has failed. Many people knew about this, not just the victims. The bodyguards, the bouncers, casting agents, etc. It was known and no one cared.
Big difference. If Ronan cannot see that, then I cannot take his position seriously.
That wasn’t the parallel he was drawing at all. He brought up Cosby within the context of a media and Hollywood cover-up.
So the comparison wasn’t made in terms of number of victims, rather in terms of the press turning a blind eye to the indiscretions (to put it mildly) of powerful men in Hollywood.
ETA: Sorry I’m just re-reading your comment and I see the distinction you’re trying to make. Yet I still think that Ronan’s comparison was a fair one.
He was comparing the two in terms of powerful men being protected by an entire industry and victims being silenced. He was only giving another example, a recent one that involves a man of similar age, creepiness and especially power. The cases themselves are of course entirely different but you cannot possibly discount his entire piece because his comparison wasn’t perfect.
But honestly, this is where you in turn lose me completely: “I don’t think anyone care fairly ask actors and the media to take a position here when even the family itself is entirely unsure and divided about what did or did not happen.”
Yes, we can ask them to do that. Most of them never come out and say “I don’t believe any of it, he’s innocent.” If they did, fine. But they’re cagey about it and babble on about uncertainty and wah wah. So there’s a possibility for them that the allegations are true and they still choose to work with him. These are NOT starving actors either. They don’t need an Allen film on their resumee, they don’t need the money or career boost. But they want it. Okay but then own your sh*t. You knowingly work with someone who most likely abused his child. You’re willing to risk that. It’s disgusting.
Also, the family isn’t that unsure or divided.
Several women have accused Bill Clinton of sexual harassment and sexual assault yet people everywhere discredit the victims. Much of the reasoning was these women had no credibility, he was never prosecuted, they were all just allegations. Why is it so easy to believe the allegations against some people but it is publicly acceptable to blame the victims, the media, and the GOP when it comes to Bill Clinton.
For someone who works in the field that you do I am very curious about your interpretation of things. Do a quick search on google and in every picture of Woody with Dylan the little girl looks distressed and uncomfortable whilst Woody hmmmm. Please stop with the deliberate misinterpretation of facts. You are stating you are unbiased but nothing that you are saying backs that up, your simply repeating ad-hoc what Woody’s extremely well paid experts said at the time of the Custody hearings
drnotknowitall – Marrying his stepdaughter is classic grooming behaviour by a sexual predator. Period. So there is another victim out there.
@Kitten
That is the point though. It is not the number of victims alone, it is the evidence. In the Cosby case, there is overwhelming evidence and has been for many years that the media refused to cover or explore.
There is literally no way to take a side in the Allen case. I want to, believe me, I do. As someone who has worked with abused children, I want to take a side. The reality is, all of the evidence paints a very vague picture.
There are those in the family who have said this did not happen. There are those in the family who said it did (although the only two people who were present were Dylan and Woody).
No allegations of child sexual abuse have been made before or since.
The team of doctors who worked with Dylan said it did not happen and that she was a deeply disturbed child. The prosecutor said that there was enough to seek charges, but that the child was too fragile.
So, how can the media be negligent when there is literally no evidence on which to take a side?
In many child abuse cases it often comes down to the word of the victim vs the abuser. In most of those cases, I believe the victim. There are a few – and this is rare, but it happens – cases where a child has been coached. But there are a good number of documented cases of children who are mentally ill who have made all sorts of allegations.
Did Ronan witness Woody forcing Dylan to suck his thumb? Or is he repeating what he heard? Did Ronan witness Woody climbing into Dylan’s bed or is he repeating what he heard? Moreover, what happened when Woody climbed into Dylan’s bed and what was the context? Did she have a bad dream? Did he read her a story? Or was she sleeping and he snuck in?
I have studied the court filings and all of the documents and the story as told does not sit well with me because of the many inconsistencies. On one hand, Dylan’s recall of the toy trains suggests something happened. Children will often associate an object with the period of abuse. On the other hand, Allen has had a life long fear of enclosed spaces. One that he has had to go into therapy for and continues therapy for. I cannot believe that on one day, while battling claustrophobia his whole life, he suddenly crawled into an attic.
I think it is likely very true that Woody had a strange fascination with his daughter. But that fascination need not be sexual in nature even if it is inappropriate. I also think that Dylan has some issues. I also think something happened with Woody or someone else where trains were present, but it may have not been sexual.
My point is, how can the media or celebrities take a stand on this when no one in the case can agree for sure? Unlike the Cosby case, where there was in fact decades of cover up. These are two very different situations.
I think he is brave to speak out for his sister because he believes that she was indeed molested by Woody and in the way described. But he could have done it on its own evidence and backstory, not include a serial rapist who was protected by the establishment for years.
Dude, just FYI – Jimmy Saville had “no history of allegations” until..you know, he died and they came out of the woodwork. There were plenty of rumors and allegations of “inappropriate behavior” with him too – but no allegations. The absence of more allegations does not mean he didn’t do it. It just means the victims are too afraid to speak up.
The evidence does not paint that vague a picture. He was in therapy for this sh*t, presumably voluntarily. Why? Because something happened. The prosecution wanted to go forward but you think you know better after having studied the relevant documents. Really? Nobody is trying to litigate this case. But can we also not forget about the Soon Yi situation? THAT is not disputed. The man was “inappropriate” with two of his daughters. That’s a pattern. Do we really think he stopped there? None of them do. Ever.
@Sam: Word. And thanks for bringing it up.
“There is literally no way to take a side in the Allen case. I want to, believe me, I do.”
Actually, there literally IS a way to take a side, which is what most of the commenters here (including you) are doing.
You’re so hung up on the Cosby comparison to the point that you’re using it to discredit Ronan’s entire essay, which I find pretty appalling.
You act like because there’s a dispute over what happened (wow a molester denying that he molested because THAT never happens) nobody is allowed to have an opinion. Ok. In this forum, we rarely know definitively whether ANYTHING is true but that doesn’t stop us from making up our minds on any given topic.
As Sam said, you either believe Dylan or you don’t. I believe her and you do not. You yourself have taken a side and it’s best to own that instead of fronting like you’re neutral or undecided.
Sam the Jimmy Saville case was completely different, yet similar with the Cosby case than the Allen case in terms of the corroboration & witnesses.
EM: You miss the point. Jimmy Saville was about to molest and abuse hundreds of people across 40+ years without any public allegations being brought against him. That’s why those who defend Allen as “he was never convicted or charged!” are misguided. The lack of a conviction or charge is simply evidence that the offender is very good at covering their tracks. Allen’s lack of a conviction is not dispositive evidence of anything. That was my point.
I have studied the same documents and the Judges summing up paints a clear picture that Woody was a narcissist who put his own needs above everyone else’s. Woody Allen may not have been caught again but he was known to have relationships with borderline legal girls before he got with Mia. Stars and the media love endorsing charities and often get paid to. how many times have we heard ‘I want to use my position as a platform…’ for this, that or whatever (but mostly to increase their own exposure) so it is disingenuous of you to say ‘how can the media or celebrities take an stand’ when they so often do. It’s a pity Dylan wasn’t a Dolphin or the Rainforest or the Planet Earth then she would have a tidal wave of support. She’s just a human being who as a child was abused terribly by someone who should have protected her, but who put his needs over her and everyone in the family.
Re: “The team of doctors who worked with Dylan said it did not happen and that she was a deeply disturbed child. ”
Actually, according to Vanity Fair’s “10 Undeniable Facts About the Woody Allen Sexual-Abuse Allegation”:
“7. The Yale-New Haven Hospital Child Sex Abuse Clinic’s finding that Dylan had not been sexually molested, cited repeatedly by Allen’s attorneys, was not accepted as reliable by Judge Wilk, or by the Connecticut state prosecutor who originally commissioned them. The state prosecutor, Frank Maco, engaged the Yale-New Haven team to determine whether Dylan would be able to perceive facts correctly and be able to repeat her story on the witness stand. The panel consisted of two social workers and a pediatrician, Dr. John Leventhal, who signed off on the report but who never saw Dylan or Mia Farrow. No psychologists or psychiatrists were on the panel. The social workers never testified; the hospital team only presented a sworn deposition by Dr. Leventhal, who did not examine Dylan.”
Far out. These are his OWN CHILDREN that come out publicly in written pieces about their own father and his sexual abusive behaviour.
And still people cover their ears and shut their eyes.
And still actors, the film industy, the justice system and an extent of the genral public ( due to the campaign) treat this man as an well renowned Artist.
This is beyond a women scorned poisoning her children ( the Champaign), these are adults taking in their own free will about their own father. And still they choose not to believe.
I hate to keep repeating myself. I am not saying that Dylan is wrong or lying or was manipulated by her mother. I am not saying that Woody molested her. I am saying we don’t know. The people who have come forward are still the same people: Dylan, Mia, and Ronan.
On the other side, Moses, nannies, and the various doctors who investigated the allegations.
So no, we are not dealing with an army of women as in the Cosby case. We are still dealing with only a single alleged incident on a single child and we have the same people speaking out who have always spoken out, on both sides.
So because Allen only has one(two actually) victims and not 60 that makes it less valid?Dylan’s perspective on the matter doesn’t matter because her parents were divorcing at the time? Even though she wrote that essay as an adult.
For someone who is supposedly undecided on this subject you sure are doing a lot of victim blaming.
I don’t get it either, Marty. Such a bizarre thing to focus on, when presented with an essay as compelling as Ronan’s.
@dr
Perhaps these accounts wouldn’t have been as credible had he not been actually proven to be having an inappropriate sexual relationship with their sibling?
Soon Yi was his defector step daughter, Woody apologists love to split hairs and say technically he didn’t adopt her and he and Mia were not married but HE was the only father figure Soon Yi knew from infancy , there are pics of a 8 yo Soon Yi sitting on his lap at ball games etc. for chrisesake!
That alone still creeps me out
@drnotknowitall, Whenever I see these kinds of responses, I just think…where do you live? Are you one of those people who thinks everything is black and white and the criminal justice system just works the way it works? And OJ got off because OJ was innocent? This is the practice of law. It’s murky and imperfect and even when it’s not–even when it’s crystal clear–you still get convictions when you shouldn’t and no convictions when you should.
So why on earth does that matter so much to you? Why are you looking at procedure and number of accusations? Allen has all the hallmarks of a molester. He SLEPT WITH HIS OWN DAUGHTER. And biological/non-biological–give me a break. Everyone acts like “oh, the 70s were so bohemian” but apparently they weren’t that bohemian for Mia or the rest of the family, who still haven’t recovered. Do you think that somehow the man who went to therapy for inappropriate behavior with his biological daughter and slept with his non-biological daughter would somehow draw a hard red line at…sleeping with or otherwise molesting his biological daughter??
You’re focusing on the wrong things entirely.
I’m curious how many it takes before we pay attention. Is there a threshold for belief versus denial? Do we know when we’ve reached it?
The man married his daughter, for f-ck’s sake.
Then Allen went on to give interviews where he says stuff like this:
“She had a very, very difficult upbringing in Korea: She was an orphan on the streets, living out of trash cans and starving as a 6-year-old. And she was picked up and put in an orphanage. And so I’ve been able to really make her life better. I provided her with enormous opportunities, and she has sparked to them. She’s educated herself and has tons of friends and children and got a college degree and went to graduate school, and she has traveled all over with me now. She’s very sophisticated and has been to all the great capitals of Europe. She has just become a different person. So the contributions I’ve made to her life have given me more pleasure than all my films.” (NPR, 2015)
I’ll just let you marinate for a second in the image of a 79-year-old man speaking that way about his six-year-old daughterwife with whom he fathered two more children.
Okay, so what’s notable about that? It’s how a parent would talk about their child. It chillingly asserts adult male dominance – “I saved you, you owe me” – and calls for childlike deference in return.
It’s Child Predator Grooming Behavior 101 (he’s still grooming her because they do not stop), and it should chill to the bone anyone who reads it.
@Ames, not to mention HE didn’t rescue her at age 6. It’s Soon-yi Previn, not Allen (and that doesn’t mean he didn’t have a father-daughter relationship with her either. I can’t fathom what kind of sick person would father children with a woman and consider her one adopted child fair game because…who knows why). Soon-yi would’ve had a privileged life with Farrow regardless of whether or not Allen was in the picture. But what blows my mind the most out of this is that knowing how much trauma Soon-yi had already been through, he actually engaged her in a sexual relationship as a teen.
You’re speaking as if before the last 5yrs you’d ever heard of these women. Cosby like Woody’s actions have been claimed over 20yrs ago. Its very similar for his team to use their press and power to suppress media and costars who all hid under the umbrella of innocence. We are not discussing volume. We are discussing claims. And its not just Dylan… Soon YI relationship is also very dangerously in question.
If you’ve read the facts, as you claim, you know that the doctor testimony was suspect, and that the nanny was employed by and paid by ALLEN, making her testimony less than reliable as well.
Frankly, I’m starting to wonder if a few of these commenters are paid astroturf.
Ironic that the first reply is a Woody defender.
Why people defend molesters over victims will never cease to boggle the mind.
These are adults that have never changed their story and have said the same thing over and over. I believe them.
I admire Ronan for dragging Woody. It musn’t be easy with all these people trying to protect that old creepy man.
I admire Ronan as well. He loves his mom and his family and has a forever disgust over pedophile pervert Woody and what Woody did to his sister, mother and their family – molesting Dylan AND Soon-Yi – I mean WTF? I wonder if any of other Mia’s children were groomed or molested by him and never spoke up?
Time may have passed but the pervert has still never been held accountable. Fight the good fight, Ronan. There’s no good reason to bury the truth and give this filthy pervert a pass.
Someone ask Cate Blanchett and all the Woody supporters if they think it’s okay that this man crawled into his child’s bed and ordered her to sucked his thumb.
How can anyone ask an actor who has no knowledge and no relation to these events to take a position when the family itself is divided as to the allegations? Moses has a completely different account of the events. So who to believe?
I am not saying don’t believe Dylan. I am saying that we don’t know what happened and so for us to demand that actors with no relation to the events to take a stand is ridiculous. They have no facts to stand on. They can say Dylan said it so it must be true. They can say that Mia said so, it must be true. They can even say that the prosecutor wanted to prosecute, but chose not too for the sanity of the child, so it must be true.
Then again. they can also say that a team of doctors have all consistently said that Dylan was either lying or coached. They can say that a nanny testified that Mia had edited the recording of Dylan’s testimony. They can say that Moses was there and denies this happened.
So which side does one take? I don’t think it is fair for Ronan or Dylan to demand that we take sides when we don’t have enough evidence to choose a side. All we can do is pray for Dylan. I can do that.
Because Dylan is still speaking out and has been consistent in her version of the events since they happened. You either believe Dylan now or you don’t. It might be different if Dylan refused to speak about the events – but she doesn’t. What I know is 1.) Dylan has not waivered once in her version of the events. She is consistent now, as she was then. 2.) The prosecutors office found her credible and was willing to proceed with prosecution. 3.) People other than Mia Farrow observed inappropriate behavior on Allen’s part towards Dylan. 4.) Allen admitted to needing therapy to deal with his behavior towards Dylan.
That’s enough. At some point, when a victim speaks up, you have to make a choice about whether you believe them or you don’t. If you don’t believe her, just say so and own that. And you fail to mention that the doctors who found Dylan to be “lying” were part of Allen’s defense team. The disinterested, neutral parties all found her to be credible. So you might just want to add that, since otherwise you seem a little..biased.
Exactly Sam, thank you.
@Sam
So which side should everyone use as evidence? A team of doctors who examined her over a period of time did not believe her and said she was a disturbed child.
Moses, her other brother, does not believe this happened and he was there that day.
Several of the nannies have stated that Mia edited and recorded Dylan’s account over several days, starting and stopping.
You are entirely wrong. Dylan’s account has changed several times. First she said that she did Woody touched her elbow. Her pediatrician found no evidence of trauma to the vaginal or anal area.
I want to believe Dylan because I want to side with the victim of abuse. But there is enough contrary evidence in this particular case that I cannot in good conscience do so.
If Dylan wants the truth out there, I suggest that she file a civil case against Woody Allen in court. She has proved that she is strong enough to withstand the public pressure and endure the discussion. In a civil case, she will have access to all of the discovery and can call witnesses afresh. I think that is a far more appropriate course of action then asking readers and celebrities to simply boycott her father. How can boycotting her father possibly help other children, as she suggests? But a civil action can help protect other children and the media attention of such a case would be dramatic.
So I ask you, why keep demanding that celebrities take a position and if so, tell me which evidence they should use to take a position on?
Okay, let’s address your points:
1.) Dylan changed her story. Not to the authorities. When Mia first asked her about the encounter, she did say it was nothing. Mia, based on her behavior, suspected this was not true. As somebody who has worked with trauma victims (including molestation victims), I know, as well as anybody else knows, that children almost always deny the first time. They do this because they are ashamed and also very possibly because they are threatened. In her statements to authorities, Dylan has never changed her story. You somehow expect a small child, upon the first time she is asked about being molested by her primary father figure, to readily admit it. Those of us who worked with these kids know that is not the case.
2.) Moses Farrow’s statement is worth very little. Moses was on the premises that day – nothing more. He has never claimed to have been in the room where the assault took place or to have witnessed anything that would prove otherwise.
3.) The people who have alleged Mia altered the statements were all proven to be receiving their paychecks from Allen, which would create conflicts of interest, but you fail to mention those.
4.) Vaginal trauma is only present when assaults are sufficiently forceful. A large portion of molested children do not have physical marks of any assaults. So is it your contention that any child who cannot produce physical evidence of the assaults is immediately suspect, or is that just in this case?
Thank you Sam.
@drnotknowitall I really wish you would stop pretending like you “want to believe Dylan because I want to side with the victim of abuse”, because it’s pretty obvious that’s not the case. Literally all of your arguments are from his side, from people he paid, And child molesters are funny about
Ask yourself this… Why? After all these years, just how does Dylan benefit from this being brought up? Why would she keep maintaining this story? What does she have to gain?
And the thumb sucking and therapy are both pretty damning
That is exactly what I was thinking. All these actors crow about Woody and his vision. I would love to hear a direct question regarding their feelings about the pedophile/incest allegations. No reporter would ever ask though.
Very well written piece by Ronan. I’ve always wondered how the press continually gets away with sweeping thing under the rug because they are associated with a person of power in Hollywood. I’ve also wondered how actors and actresses in Hollywood continue to work with Woody Allen. He makes my skin crawl and I wouldn’t go to one of his movies if he paid me to!
I think it is terrible. He lost me when he equated this with the Cosby situation. See my comment up thread.
You must have got lost! Why else would you keep misinterpreting these facts, you are taking everything written literally and spreading misinformation.
No one cares about your comment upthread.
and scarlett johansson is going to call him irresponsible in 3,2,1
This whole thing just makes me sad and disgusted. Woody Allen is garbage and I can’t believe this poor excuse for a human being is thought of as some great artistic genius.
I don’t think the two are mutually exclusive. I think he can be both, although his films aren’t my cup of tea at all.
That’s my point. Sure he’s made a couple of good movies but does his film history really warrant all the praise that gets heaped on him? I honestly don’t think so.
I always thought his movies were sexist crud. Annie Hall was supposed to be so great, but I saw it when I was 12 or so, and saw that it was all about how stupid and flaky women supposedly were and how incredibly awesome this gross man supposedly was. I think he spoke to a lot of yucky schlubs who wanted to feel superior and land the hot woman. That’s what Hollywood was like in the 70s — anything and everything to build up the creeps at the expense of women.
Now? I REALLY don’t get it. He must be in the middle of a web of contacts or something. It’s all politics, no matter how much Hollywood bloviates about “art.”
This took guts to write and say, but I have to wonder – what will come of it? Dylan named names in her essay as well, but did anything change? People just keep making excuses for him. People still line up to work with him. To change anything, people would need for Allen to be a death knell to their careers. It would have to reach the point where if you work with him, you never work again. And how could that happen? Unless the general public just decided that they’d never again see a film with somebody who knowingly worked with Allen, how could any impact be made? (And for the record, I do avoid seeing movies with people who have been apologists for Allen). But what else can actually be done?
We just don’t let it lie, Ronan, Mia and Dylan are all very good people so we keep it alive for Dylan especially who has found her voice. I boycott everything and everyone involved with Woody, particularly Diane Keaton who actually knew Dylan as a child and still doesn’t open her ears. I’m gonna start taking it one step further beginning with Amazon, I can do without them very well and would have done so sooner if I had known the deal they have with him. I’m going to write very nice letters explaining why these companies and people no longer have my support.
I can’t deal with Hollywood right now. I just read about this documentary called The Open Secret in Hollywood. I seriously never want to support this industry ever again.
Do you have a link?
http://www.theguardian.com/film/2015/may/22/an-open-secret-documentary-reveals-paedophilia-in-hollywood
Read with caution. I don’t know if this article mentions it, but I hope Charlie Sheen dies a very painful and rapid death. (This is not where I read about it. I somehow got onto Charlie Sheen + Corey Haim and it went from there).
This controversy is not new. Whatever happened to the account Cory Feldman was to give or was he silenced?
yeah I know, I just pieced it together with this Brian Singer stuff and the guy from Nickelodeon…I used to read CDAN ca 2008 or something and that’s when I think a lot of this got more coverage so it wasn’t totally unfamiliar. Perez Hilton basically quoted Feldman saying it was Sheen in 2011.
But the documentary focuses on a guy who actually has a (child!!) sex offender conviction, who is connected to both Sheen and Singer. And he was hired by Two and a Half Men for some behind-the-scenes role on the set. And just thinking about that child actor, Angus…whatever his name was, on that show, and what a mess he seems to be now–wonder why? Wonder what could’ve driven him to the arms of rigid fundamentalist Christianity? Then just the thought of what a web it is…and how messed up Charlie Sheen’s twins are…just disgusting. Of course no one bats an eye at Woody Allen.
SMDH…Stuff like this is why I defended the right for Vaxxers to be shown at Tribeca.
This is censorship straight-up. Disgusting and repulsive example of Hollywood protecting their own by not allowing this film to be shown.
I’ve seen this sentiment all over the place. Mostly not on gossip blogs. Lots of people have stopped going to movies because of stuff like this. I don’t go to or rent movies myself any more because of this. I guess commenting on a gossip site might be considered “support” in some way… but I consider it more parasitic, as I don’t give them a dime and mostly criticize :D.
The article was good. Really well written, thoughtful, and important. It cannot be said enough. These things have to be drug out of the shadows and into the light if victims are ever going to begin the process of healing.
It made me really sad that Ronan mentioned an unnamed actor/actress telling him that working with Woody “wasn’t personal” . Ugh..guess what? If you don’t condemn you’re passively condoning. By working with this sick man these actors are basically saying that “art” is more important than protecting the most innocent among us. Blake Lively has a daughter, as does Cate Blanchett. I wonder if they’d let Woody babysit their little girls?
Very well put. It made me really sad the ‘it’s nothing personal’ remark
That’s a powerful piece, but I suspect that as long as Allen movies are seen as Oscar bait, actors are still going to flock to work with him.
Call me a conspiracy theorist but Woody does seem to have friends and protection in high places. I loathe Bill Cosby and feel he deserves anything he has coming to him but also remember that there were whispers about Cosby for YEARS without any real traction so I also wonder about the timing of his overdue comeuppance
In 2014 , Dylan wrote apiece about being abused by her father (Woody )and how she felt about actors working with him etc .Ronan and Mia joined in and Woody was back under major scrutiny .Well within a few days it became but but but what about Cosby and that whole sh1t show started and attention was somewhat deflected from Woody ( Now Cosby himself had his protection over the years as well but dunno maybe Woody’s trumped his ?)
It will be interesting to see what news pieces will take the spotlight off Woody in the next few days
#WoodyCosbyPolanskiKellyrotinhell
I’m glad he wrote his piece because it seems people want to forget. They want to excuse him. If you have ever known someone who had gone through this, it would be hard to even look at that depraved man. It wrecks a person’s life and they struggle with mental health issues daily.
It’s easy to doubt a victim if a person wants to, even in the face of the evidence. This is why rape victims stay silent.
The person I know did get justice but it wasn’t until several other victims were revealed. No one listened until more lives were destroyed.
Every actor who works with him should be ashamed. No one is forced to work with him, they make the choice freely.
@littlemissnaughty
I really wish people would study the facts of this case before taking a public position. If I ever get into any crazy trouble, I hope that my jury is made of people willing to look at evidence. You are entirely wrong. The family is deeply divided on this.
Moses, who is a family therapist and who was there that day of the alleged incident, says it did not happen. That he remembers the whole day and that Dylan was never unaccounted for. Several nannies from that day have said the same thing. Another brother (I forget which one) said the same thing.
You are a wonderful person to want to support the victim and I do think that poor Dylan is clearly a victim of something or someone. But before we destroy someone, let’s make sure we have the facts.
so the fact that Allen was in therapy for being Chester Molester-y somehow means nothing because siblings who weren’t present said nothing happened? The fact that Allen lost subsequent court cases related to it (meaning his claims weren’t supported by sufficient evidence). The judge’s findings that Allen was gross?
You’re correct in that this is clearly a family dispute. But people seem to be conflating family dispute with absence of evidence. So bravo to Ronan for pointing this out: why aren’t people asking why somebody with SO much evidence stacked up against them hasn’t taken a single professional hit? What does that tell you about the industry itself? If I happened to stumble across this kind of information about some stranger down the block , I would pull a Spotlight and put up notices on light posts around the neighborhood. But a guy can take ALL those hits and never even teeter from the totem Hollywood has erected for him.
So Woody was in therapy for being a molester? I must have missed that in the court records.
read the VF article
It was well documented that he was in therapy before the Soon-yi mess blew up for his inappropriate behavior around Dylan.
“Dylan is clearly a victim of something or someone.”
Yes she is a victim of WOODY ALLEN. You must be trolling, right? You have to be…
Moses can’t speak to anything. Unless he actually saw something happen or not happen, he isn’t really breaking any new ground. Dylan has always maintained that only she and Allen were in the room where the attack happened. So how can Moses speak to anything at all?
Didn’t Moses say he didn’t want to have any visitation with Woody when asked during the custody hearings (since Woody had formally adopted him a few years before)? He did say he never saw Dylan unaccounted for that day, but he CANNOT say for sure Woody didn’t molest her. He also had a falling out with Mia and reconnected with Woody and Soon Yi. Woody defenders love to say Mia poisoned Dylan’s mind, how do we know Woody didn’t poison Moses’. Moses also said Mia went into fits of rage and beat him, but other siblings has said emphatically that didn’t happen. So according the logic above, we would have to discredit Moses’ accusations since his siblings say it never happened. See how that works?
Actually, no. See how easy that it? Moses’ abuse allegations against Mia don’t have anything to do with his disbelief of Dylan. It is entirely possible that Moses was abused by Mia and Dylan was abused by Woody. Moses concedes up front that he can’t state with certainty that Dylan was not abused, since he was not with her every second of that day. So his testimony is really…nothing at all. He wasn’t around her the whole time, so he can’t speak to it. He has stated that he does not believe it happened – but how is that relevant?
Woody Allen is a nasty gross protected pedo molester. Kudos to Ronan for writing that. We all know Allens a creep, yet hollywood still protects him and produces his movies. Its mind boggling. Hollywood is becoming more and more tangled in its Web of lies. We see you hollywood! We aren’t stupid!
@Kitten,
I am not taking a side. I have stated repeatedly that I don’t know what happened. I believe something happened to Dylan, but I don’t know what or by whom. That is not enough for me to go full out and blame Woody as a pedophile. I simply cannot make that kind of leap.
I keep saying this and people keep insisting that I am taking a side. I don’t now why. I can only assume that emotions are overruling reason.
My point is that Dylan needs to file a civil action against her father. Demanding boycotts from readers and celebrities is not fair since none of us know what happened. But a civil case opens things up to discovery and we can get more answers on which to take a position.
Or would you rather I just blindly agree that what someone says happened no matter the context or the history of the people involved?
With all due respect, you sound like someone who is close to Woody and wants to defend him or someone who is paid to defend him, considering the number of posts you have above. No one is out to destroy Woody Allen; his own words do that just fine. Besides, Allen has more money than most of us could ever possibly imagine and more than enough to last multiple lifetimes. He’s just fine no matter what (likely correct) judgments we make against him. That fact that he apparently feels no shame and acts above it all just goes to show his character. It’s extremely narcissistic, bordering on sociopathic, and only makes him look all the more guilty.
ROTFL, yeah, I am Woody’s side piece. You nailed me.
No, I am actually a pediatric psychiatrist and I have spent years dealing with child sexual abuse. Which is why her mention of the train suggests to me that something happened. The problem, however, is that there are other things that I have to account for because I have to be a rational person. There are cases of false memories and false allegations and if we are not careful and go all crazy over people who may not have done anything, then we are giving ammunition to the pedophiles. Support the victim always, but get the truth too. I have never called Dylan a liar. I have always said my prayers are with her. Always support the victim, but you must also get the truth if you want there to be justice.
drnotknowitall – I’m totally with you on this one
@Ashley, finally. If I ever get accused of something and want a fair trial, please be on my jury.
@drnotknowitall – I really don’t know where I stand on this (and I’ve read all the background to it numerous times and have gone back and forth on it so much, and still do) but I appreciate your unwillingness to pile on board the popular train and the measured way in which you express that unwillingness.
Yes. In cases like this no one should take sides without real evidence. No one here was there. No one really knows what the truth is and what not. Reading celebrity sides or vanity fair does mean absolutely nothing.
A few years ago a friend of mine went through divorce. It was horrible. At one point his ex accused him of raping their 4 years old daughter. I (and almost everyone else) believed her. Back then i couldn’t believe a mother would make this up…
My friend lost everything. His daughter, family, friends and his job as teacher. There was no evidence so this never went to court but the people judged him. For us he was guilty.
2 years after all this the ex told the truth. She made this all up and coached her poor daughter. She was ashamed of it but it was too late. She destroyed his and her daughters lives. The girl now lives with the grandparents. My friend never talked to me again. He moved away. His aunt told me he visits his daughter from time to time but he is a broken man.
I can tell you a worse story from my residency years. All doctors at one point or another have the experience that humbles them into realizing they don’t know a damn thing about human nature. I had mine a long time ago and I realized just how important we have to be about our assessments. I did several ER rotations in pediatrics and often (and I mean OFTEN) a child would present with clear evidence of abuse, usually it was a stepfather. The mother would bring the child in and lie, lie, lie. We would always call CPS. Not always, but a number of times, I would see the same child back in the ER because CPS had investigated and found no cause to step in (ARGHHHHH!!!!!!).
So I was pretty prejudiced towards believing anything a child tells me. I was working with my mentor and she had a case that haunts me to this day and included allegations against the father. My first reaction was to call the police, but what ultimately and over time became apparent was that the child – who was indeed traumatized – was actually being abused by the mother and the father found out. The mother hoped to stop him from outing her by coaching the daughter to say the father had molested her. She was very convincing.
My larger point is always support the victim because a stable person does not make these kinds of accusations. There is some form of trauma here or an organic illness. So always support the victim. But also always seek the truth. Both things are important.
Sorry that happened to your friend. How horrible.
drnotknowitall – I’m with you on this one as well. When I was four years old someone attempted to molest me in my own home while my mother was upstairs. I remember it clearly. I’ve read the allegations against Woody Allen and I question whether or not some of them actually happened or are true.
@drnotknowitall: I appreciate your rational discourse and way of thinking. I also appreciate your metered tone of respect. Beware, CB is not what it used to be. In recent years I’ve noticed a rise in ad hominem attacks and loss of civility. So I come to CB rarely now.
I have enjoyed Zelig and Bananas and, my favorite of all WA films, Crimes and Misdemeanors. Also, forget the name now, but the one with Helen Hunt and David Ogden Stiers. But if man is his art, then I think this man is deeply flawed -lacking any interest in real or ‘complete’ women, ie in grown, adult women with minds or strength of their own. His female characters are somnambulant, broken heaps of neuroses, who can barely string a sentence together; who are totally incomplete until a man, mostly he, rescues them. (I mean it takes work to turn Diane Keaton into a bumbling idiot, which he did.) And movies like Manhattan and the one with the very beautiful and young Frieda Pinto were very difficult to watch. The man clearly has issues. And for years I have felt that year after year his movies are just vehicles for him to work with his latest object of lust. I’ve stopped watching his movies since a long time now. As for the actresses who work with him, I mostly find them to be fame-driven, vacuous, self-absorbed and misguided. Blanchette, for eg, doesn’t need him and she should know better. But then these are people who are driven by Hollywood fame … I, for one, do not expect much of them.
I agree that we can’t expect them to take a stand based on the current evidence… But based on the recurring theme in the large body of his work, I think a clear picture about his character emerges. I think the man has skeletons in his closet. And I agree that a civil suit would be the right forum to expose them. I hope that happens. I’d like to see all facts come to light…. so that justice can be served!
Excellent article by Ronan Farrow. Well worth the read. Thanks for linking it Celebitchy.
Agreed. And, man, is Ronan beautiful. I know this is a serious issue he has raised, but there is a nasty part of me that just wants to ogle pictures of Ronan Farrow and Prince Harry all day long.
Keep fighting the good fight Ronan! Make sure you never stop yelling the truth. Even though the wind and tide are against you in this storm you do have people standing behind you!
+1
As consumers we all have the power to boycott Woody Allen movies… refuse to see them, refuse to give him any money! It’s the only thing Hollywood understands. If there wasn’t a market for his movies, he would not be able to keep making them.
And we can also refuse to see movies with those starts who work with WA – no more Blake Lively, Kristin Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg, etc.
Haven’t seen a Woody Allen film since Hannah and her Sisters. He’s gross, and artistically repetitive.
There is a LOT of misinformation in these comments coming from a few people who seem very invested in defending Woody Allen. Here’s a quick read from the journalist at Vanity Fair who has done the most exhaustive reporting on the subject (including back when the allegations were first made) that lists some really important facts that Woody Allen’s team has (obviously successfully) tried to obscure: http://www.vanityfair.com/news/2014/02/woody-allen-sex-abuse-10-facts
I note Woody defenders get a lot of information from his Wikipedia entry.
A Woody defender? First, I have posted a bunch of responses that don’t appear. So I am not rewriting them. Second, I have repeatedly stated that I am not taking sides and the most prudent thing to do would be for Dylan to take him to court. Third, passive aggressive attempts to lash out at someone because you have concluded there is misinformation being spread just illustrates how absolutely incapable you are of nuanced thought or supporting your own position. I don’t need the Vanity Fair link. I have read it. But more importantly, I have actually read all of the court documents. Fourth, I have not even seen Woody’s wiki, but again, passive aggressive behavior is a symptom of an incredibly insecure personality. I have not lashed out at you nor have I taken a position. Your attempts to paint me as a Woody sympathizer are shallow. Finally, I come here for entertainment, not to argue with people such as yourself. If I wanted a substantive discussion, your input would be avoided. Have a good day
Brava Miss. Actually this case is not back or white or about who you believe on. It’s a very complicated one where there were a lot of factors in between and not just the allegations.
Wrong nuanced thought has taken me and many others to conclude that Woody is a manipulative narcissistic child molester. IF you came here for the entertainment why come to this article, you talk about others being shallow. What is entertaining about the alleged molestation of a child whose elder sister, who was also barely out of childhood was groomed by a monster and separated a family forever – entertainment? Go find a Miley article or a Leann Rimes, always good for a laugh, this whole subject matter is far from entertainment, your an apologist and a bore. Finally you criticism ‘if you wanted a substantive discussion your input would be avoided’ What a snob – you are wayyyyy too invested with your numerous postings, hypocrite much?
BOOM. Wish there was a love button for your comment, Patsy.
I think it’s entirely possible to think Woody Allen is a disgusting pedophile who molested his young daughter, and groomed his girlfriend’s young daughter, and still find Mia Farrow less than innocent of taking advantage of the situation and even enabling Woody.
After this all came out, suddenly there were horror stories of what Mia and her family witnessed. Stories of Mia’s mother witnessing Woody going to town on Dylan with sunscreen. A situation so perverse that Mia’s mother (or someone) having to intervene. Woody caught in bed with young Dylan by several people, and his openly seeing a therapist due to his unnatural obsession with his child. And yet not a word of this from Mia or the Farrow clan, until Woody Allen dumped her. And I’m also disgusted by Mia’s treatment of Soon-Yi. Mia went to great lengths to portray Soon-Yi as mentally challenged, significantly younger than they always presented her as, and a victim of Woody’s grooming. Yet she also proclaims her daughter as dead to her. To me, this very clearly shows that Mia blames Soon-Yi (at least in part) for what happened. It makes me uncomfortable.
Woody Allen is creepy but there’s something off about Mia as well. Makes me question the whole thing.
I’m with both of you. And with @drnotknowitall above and all the comments they took the time to write and share.
Years ago I had a temp job typing victim impact statements in the court victim office. All the statements were from abused children under age 10. On many occasions I saw those same children in the office for appointments and you could never tell what they’d been through. Every day, all of us typing up those statements, cried all day long. Then a university psychiatrist wrote a book on child abuse which was being published by an American publisher. We were tasked with typing it the book for him. That one too, tears all day and evening. I was a wreck by end of that job.
I’ve always had reservations about Mia – serious reservations – and just ignored Woody. I can’t do anything about this, any of it, except NOT expose myself to more of this by reading about it. It’s horrible, all of it and I can’t read this stuff anymore.
I’ve been a victim myself. I’m not discounting that it never goes away and the trauma forever changes you. I just can’t read it anymore, from anyone. I think the best thing that can happen is for Ronan and the other kids to build safe, happy lives and find professional support when they need to talk about it. I have a feeling, when Mia dies, or Woody, or both of them, a lot of truths will hit these kids in their adult years and that is going to be harder than anything they’re dealing with as they see it now. Been there myself.
Right so it’s the Mom’s fault completely, Soon-Yi was underage a child who was groomed, who turned her back on her whole family to be with a manipulative man, they had a secret relationship for a long time, only discovered when her sister was abused, something which was reported to the police, by a pediatrician – a doctor whose duty was towards the child also as it was the law – the Mom’s fault? Soon Yi is not to blame I really believe that her social skills were underdeveloped and she lacked empathy for wanting to continue an affair with a man who was accused by a DOCTOR not her MOTHER of abusing her younger sister. So she is excused because she was young, naive selfish even but more than anything young. Woody married that girl who was a victim of his manipulation to save his ass. His latest interview in which he talks of her stating it’s a paternal affair!!!!!!! Whilst patronising the sh*t out of her by talking of her as a little doll who he helped to develop. But yeah it’s the Moms fault. Lots of enabling there.
Woody Allen seems remarkably f-ked up for someone who went through decades of traditional Freudian psychotherapy.
Just my personal opinion as a survivor of abuse: No, you do not ever “get over it.” You can grow up, be happy, have a nice life, have children, stop consciously remembering it, and stop the cycle of abuse in your family – but your subconscious will never, ever forget. It’s all in there, even if the abuse occurred before you were verbal. In addition, the brain is structurally changed by abuse (google it). Children learn not to reveal anything because they know something even worse will happen if they speak up. By the time they are adults they have often buried the experiences so effectively they’ve “forgotten” them (even Loftus would agree). However, the abuse may show up in certain types of behavior that are red flags for therapists, or even as physical disease. I just read an article saying that an unusually large percentage of patients with rheumatoid arthritis were abused as children. As adults, bingo – autoimmune disorder. I have a friend who is the jolliest person you’ll ever meet, but her doctor looked at her x-rays and knew immediately she had been abused as a child. One way or another, you CANNOT “get over it.”
Yup. I firmly believe severe abuse of a child should be a capital crime. You’d think pro-lifers would be on that already, but…
This happening today and all the other sites picking it up, plus the trending on Twitter and everywhere…
It just delights me to no end. I’ve found myself smiling and in a good mood all day. It’s about time things change for the good for once. 😊😊😊
Wow at this thread… Yikes.
Its no way the public can decide guilt or innocence when a case is dismissed. But isn’t the point that because theres not answer mean theres still a question. Theres’ still doubt. And no one really separates art from life. Life is art. Woodys movie topic today proved it. So if theres still this much unanswered question, don’t we have the right to say, theres a lot of questionable behavior – and because if it. NO thanks Woody.
Cosby’s case is relevant bc until there was actually a group of people, there was only doubt. So everyone was allowed to dismiss it and go on supporting Cosby.
Coercion of a parent into teaching your kid to lie about rape that a kid knows is true or untrue is a crime you go to jail for. To still lie in public as an adult is even rarer. But doubt here still remains but WORSE is excuses to hide and cover up that doubt to enjoy ART. To make tough decisions about working with someone who’s got a long troubled history of inappropriate behavior with his daughters. We shouldn’t need conviction to believe – theres enough evidence for Doubt against Woody. AT this point, his arrogance in the media pretty much sums up his stance of untouchable. But as the public we have the right to never support his work. in 2016, how much more doubt do you want to put possible victims through before we start putting on blinders to behavior. The actors who still work with Polanski are the same who excused Woody. Art is Life… Life is art. You can’t accept his art without accepting his behavior.
I think each person has the right to say no to Woody Allen’s work for themselves, but I wish people could understand others may not see it your way including people who may work with him. I am not sure I would say Woody Allen’s movie art is his life and by supporting his movies I would be supporting his behavior. Honestly, I just don’t believe that. Lots of great literary and artistic geniuses were despicable criminals and human beings in a portion or all of their life, it doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate the portion of their life that may have shown some beauty and artistic talent. I just don’t view the world like that.
Also, Cosby’s case didn’t become relevant just because of the amount of women, apparently many knew or at least suspected it before, and it really came about because of another comedian’s joke and times had finally changed enough the public was finally inclined to listen to the mostly non-celebrity victims more than before.
The case was not dismissed. Please read upthread.
And people are free to decide whether to support people like Woody Allen or not. If you have no qualms about any of this, then go ahead and do whatever you want with your time and money as is your right.
I read Ronan Farrow’s article and all I could think was how proud I am of him. He was articulate, compassionate and thought-provoking. And brave – let’s not forget that. I could not agree more with what he said. Having worked with victims and survivors of sexual abuse it was truly a rallying call to work harder, move forward, strive to improve laws, sentences and support for victims. I am truly grateful that he uses his platform for such a good cause.
I know this won’t be a popular point of view on this site, but I do have a problem with the amount of people who are 100% sure of any of this and wish to judge other people who feel otherwise. Has anyone ever spoken to the victims or the accused? Everyone is getting the same information from various outlets, and while I would agree the media especially in the past turned a blind eye to powerful men who most likely abused women, it does appear the tide is turning and now people are immediately guilty even without being prosecuted. Furthermore, no one should work with these accused people either, and if you do you are guilty by association and we should blackball that person as well. What if you believe in the American judicial system of innocent until proven guilty. I kind of like it a lot better than group public shaming that is going on now.
Yes I understand Ronan’s point of view and I admire his defense of his sister. I whole heartedly agree with him the judicial system needs to be changed in order for victims to come forward and feel free to prosecute these criminals. However, I also believe in the fundamentals of our judicial system, and if someone isn’t convicted they are free to work however they want. Yes everyone is free to boycott any Woody Allen movie or the actors who decide to participate in his movies , but I do wish people could at least see the other side. I personally feel he is probably guilty, but I wouldn’t be completely surprised if I was wrong, and I can understand others who have met Woody Allen thinking otherwise.
Mia Farrow’s is a very interesting family. I love Ronan Farrow; he’s a very witty and brainy guy. Halfway through his op-ed and it’s honest, touching, and relevant.
I just read Ronan’s piece. I did not know Ronan was there and aware witnessing Woody’s bizarre and creepy actions toward Dylan. I tend to assume predators work secretly – take great pains to do the things they do in private and alone with their victims. I forget that sometimes predators seek to normalize their behavior to those around them and that if a witness is present, but the need to fulfil the predator’s warped desires rises up, they will do what they want regardless of others’ being there, especially where kids are concerned b/c the predators tend to think younger children won’t know what’s going on or aren’t paying attention. So, Ronan actually saw his father climbing into Dylan’s bed and making her suck his thumb in the middle of the night on numerous occasions. The fact that Ronan remembers it even though he was only five just shows how abnormal he knew it was even as a very young child – He was affected by it too. It’s burned in his memory and it was something bad he was too small and confused to do anything about. It makes the anger bubble right up to the surface again for me – getting a glimpse of how far-reaching these horrific predators’ actions are.
The scariest part of all of this is that Woody adopted more children – with Soon Yi. I have a very hard time believing he changed or can control himself anymore than he was able to with Dylan. It doesn’t matter that he got outed, was in therapy, etc. For a pedophile, the urge is always there. It doesn’t just go away because they’ve been exposed. They may learn to be more discreet, but the urge is still there and always will be. I wonder about these girls that call him Daddy. He adopted two girls with Soon Yi – only girls. Manzie is from Asia, but Bechet is not. Very suspicious to me that a couple adopting multiple children wouldn’t adopt a boy and a girl….and he has the means to adopt a child of the gender he chooses. And just how is a man who went to court and was ordered to therapy for inappropriate behavior with an already adopted daughter, and his developmentally stunted daughter/wife found to be suitabel parents for the adoption process? That is so wrong and seriously, criminal, on the part of the adoption agencies. I suspect the “agency” representing Manzie, being from Asia, probably doesn’t have the vetting process that other countries’ adotpion agencies do, but what about Bechet? How can that happen?
Woody Allen disgusts me and I don’t watch his movies anymore. I will not pay any sum of money to see what grand story he has produced. The same goes for Polanski. I don’t even support Tom Cruise at this point.
All of these men* are guilty and I don’t care how successful they still are – their success does not translate to NOT GUILTY.
* I find it very hard to believe Tom Cruise is not aware that his pampered life withing Scientology comes from modern day slaves and child labourers. In my book, that makes him guilty as hell.
2 cents here: As a survivor, it hurts to see the person who ruined you life walk around like they did nothing wrong. I’d imagine for Dylan it has to be far worse watching this person be insulated and protected by people who just want to help their careers. If it were my sibling who was a victim, damn straight I’d be kicking up a storm every time people want to laud such a despicable person, forgetting the damage and forgetting the crime. Ronan is right to point out the hypocrisy. It’s a crying shame that actors/actresses chose to work with him, but I wonder how many would let him baby sit their children. Ask them that question and see what their answer is.
All I can add is from my own personal experience:
Fighting a never convicted child molester in your family on behalf of a loved one victim is the worst thing I have ever encountered, and I have dealt with depression and am dealing with cancer. Neither illnesses have caused me as much pain and heartache as the worry and guilt I feel that my brother will hurt yet another little child.
I have spent years trying to protect my brothers’ preferred victims, to no avail. I have shouted the truth of who he is and what he does from the mountaintops, and it seems that no one is listening. He admitted to me that he molests his daughter – but it is all he said, she said – I have contacted child protective services and law enforcement, to have my brother (who has a high income) move out of state, retain attorneys and retaliate at me. Although my other family members know the truth, not one of them is willing to endure the onslaught of crap he and his wife have piled on me for telling the truth. Harassment, financial ruin, and even, quite literally, stalking me.
I called last June and made a report to his local law enforcement agency regarding him sexually assaulting his then 8 year daughter, to then have he and his wife drive hours from their neighboring state to mine, and upon finding I moved, they visited each of my past residences and interrogated old neighbors, all the while lying to those folks, telling them he missed me and we had lost touch, did they know my new address? He even left notes for them to keep with his name and cell number, asking them to call him directly if they saw me or found out where to find me – he asked them where I shopped for groceries and if they knew where my kids went to school, – this caused a neighbor to flag me down on the road to tell me, because he thought it was weird and the story didn’t jive – my brother and his wife drove to the high school and waited outside until they saw my son (who does not know him, only of him), and then took pictures of him on his phone. I have reported all of this, still nothing. After my reports of their stalking, he and his wife told their local sheriff that I threatened to kidnap their daughter, so they wanted to “investigate my address” and they filed an ‘anti harassment’ restraining order against ME. They did not have any proof (duh, because I would never do that) and could not get a regular restraining order, but the lie was good enough for a temp order, if they could serve it. They did not have my current address, could not serve the documents, so they manipulated and paid my sister (the one with Stockholm Syndrome, who is morbidly obese, living in true squalor, with no income and who also exhibits violent and other concerning behavior toward her own child, she was a victim of our brother in her childhood for over 9 years) – they paid her $350.00 to get the address from my aunt, via dishonesty. It’s AWESOME.
The saddest part, the worst part, is not the not speaking my my parents, who ignore their son’s criminal ways, or the worrying about my sister and her son, is that no one – NO ONE – is truly caring for my darling niece. This started happening to her when she was almost/just 3, and she will be 9 in November. It is rumored in our family (my brother once told my mother) that my sister in law, mother of my niece, was molested all of her childhood by her uncle, a still loved and welcomed member of her maternal family. I have tried and tried and tried to help my niece, but I have no ideas left on how to do so. I pray for her so so much, I think of her every day, but I have my own sons to guide, and it is really hard to deal with my brother and the situation surrounding him/my parents’ family.
So I have so much respect for Ronan, and Mia, and of course Dylan. It is so painful to fight incest – it tears families apart. It can tear your heart apart even if it never happened to you. I worry so much about my niece being around my sicko brother with no one protecting her at all.
I am glad that Ronan is not letting Woody go off without putting him and the rest of the world on notice that Allen is not worthy of such adulation. It is Ronan’s own version of supporting his sister, and I know how that feels. It’s like, almost a compulsion. As in, I did not know this was happening/happened to you, did not know I needed to protect the world from this person with malicious intent, but NOW THAT I KNOW, I cannot let it go. Like, being quiet is in a way condoning the behavior, and me and Ronan, well, we just CANNOT. So he shouts it from the mountaintops in his own way, and I applaud him for it.
But shiz it is sure hard. But then whenever I think it is hard, I am about to break, I think of my sisters, what they went through, and my little niece, and I know what I endure to help her gain safety is not a thing at all compared to a life with a dad like my brother.
Heartbreaking situation, just heartbreaking.
I know this is a first world problem for me but: Annie Hall is one of my favourite films. Am I still allowed to like it?