These Are the Actors Who Now Regret Working With Woody Allen—and the Ones Who Don't
On January 1 more than 300 powerful women in Hollywood launched a movement called Time’s Up, which is aimed toward ending gender imbalance and sexual harassment in the workplace across all industries. Time’s Up is undoubtedly a product of the sexual harassment reckoning that happened in Hollywood late last year; following the explosive exposés about Harvey Weinstein in The New York Times and The New Yorker, dozens of famous women—and men—came forward with their own stories of sexual harassment, both at the hands of Weinstein and others. For the first time ever, it feels like sexual assault survivors are actually being heard and their perpetrators are receiving consequences for their actions.
But there’s one exception here: Woody Allen. In 2014 Allen’s daughter Dylan Farrow wrote an open letter to The New York Times, alleging he had molested her at seven years old. Allen was never convicted of anything, but it’s telling that his son Ronan Farrow has publicly stood by Dylan’s side. “I believe my sister,” he wrote in an article for The Hollywood Reporter. (Ronan is also one of the journalists who broke the Weinstein story.) Dylan’s accusation was first made in 1992, but little was done then—and nothing’s really happened now. In fact, Allen’s still very much a working director: His next movie stars Selena Gomez, Elle Fanning, and current awards-season favorite Timothée Chalamet. So where is the disconnect? Why is Allen still able to receive steady work—and acclaim, no less—despite this shift happening in Hollywood?
For some reason, actors, many of whom have voiced their support for Time’s Up, agree to make movies with him…and publicly ignore Dylan Farrow’s accusations. Kate Winslet, Blake Lively, Justin Timberlake—all of these stars (and more) have made movies with Allen in the past few years. Some have even sung his praises. It’s this cone of silence that keeps Allen in power.
Maybe this is going to end, though. Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig, who acted in Allen’s 2012 film To Rome With Love, said in a New York Times op-ed this week that she wouldn’t have worked with Allen had she known the allegations against him—and she won’t work with him again.
“If I had known then what I know now, I would not have acted in the film,” Gerwig said. “I have not worked for him again, and I will not work for him again. Dylan Farrow’s two different pieces made me realize that I increased another woman’s pain, and I was heartbroken by that realization. I grew up on his movies, and they have informed me as an artist, and I cannot change that fact now, but I can make different decisions moving forward.”
This statement comes just days after Gerwig side-stepped a question about Allen at the Golden Globes:
While Gerwig’s NYT piece is a start, other artists who’ve worked with Allen have not followed suit. Hollywood is ignoring his behavior because the actors in his movies are. The only way to effect change is for people to stop working with him. And the people who have worked with him need to speak out—loudly.
Here’s a nonexhaustive list of what actors who starred in Allen’s most recent films have said. Note how many of these quotes are wishy-washy, vague, or even congratulatory:
Kate Winslet (Wonder Wheel, 2017): “He understands the female characters he creates exceptionally well. His female characters are always so rich and large and honest in terms of how they’re feeling, and he just knows how to write dialogue for them to communicate all that.” —Sydney Morning Herald
Selena Gomez (A Rainy Day in New York, 2018): “To be honest, I’m not sure how to answer—not because I’m trying to back away from it. [The Harvey Weinstein allegations] actually happened right after I had started [on the movie]. They popped up in the midst of it. And that’s something, yes, I had to face and discuss. I stepped back and thought, Wow, the universe works in interesting ways.” — Billboard
Blake Lively (Café Society, 2016): “It’s very dangerous to factor in things you don’t know anything about. I could [only] know my experience. And my experience with Woody is he’s empowering to women.” —Los Angeles Times
Kristen Stewart (Café Society, 2016): “At the end of the day, Jesse and I talked about this. If we were persecuted for the amount of shit that’s been said about us that’s not true, our lives would be over. The experience of making the movie was so outside of that, it was fruitful for the two of us to go on with it.” —Variety
Cate Blanchett (Blue Jasmine, 2014): “I mean, it’s obviously been a long and painful situation for the family, and I hope they find some sort of resolution and peace.” — *Hollywood Elsewhere* via Reuters
Diane Keaton (Annie Hall, 1977): “I have nothing to say about that. Except: I believe my friend.” —The Guardian
Rebecca Hall (A Rainy Day in New York, 2018): In a statement posted to her Instagram, Hall revealed that she’ll be donating her wages from A Rainy Day in New York to the Time’s Up fund. “The day after the Weinstein accusation broke in full force I was shooting a day of work on Woody Allen’s latest movie in New York. I couldn’t have imagined somewhere stranger to be that day,” she wrote. “When asked to do so, some seven months ago, I quickly said yes. He gave me one of my first significant roles in film for which I have always been grateful, it was one day in my hometown—easy. I have, however subsequently realized there is nothing easy about any of this. In the weeks following I have thought very deeply about this decision, and remain conflicted and saddened. After reading and re-reading Dylan Farrow’s statements of a few days ago and going back and reading the older ones—I see, not only how complicated this matter is, but that my actions have made another woman feel silenced and dismissed. That is not something that sits easily with me in the current or indeed any moment, and I am profoundly sorry. I regret this decision and wouldn’t make the same one today. It’s a small gesture and not one intended as close to compensation but I’ve donated my wage to Time’s Up. I’ve also signed up, will continue to donate, and look forward to working with and being part of this positive movement towards change not just in Hollywood but hopefully everywhere.”
Timothée Chalamet (A Rainy Day in New York, 2018): The actor revealed in an Instagram post that he cannot answer questions directly about working with Woody Allen because of “contractual obligations,” but he doesn’t want to “profit” from his work on the film. Because of this, he’s donating his entire salary to three charities: Time’s Up, the LGBT Center in New York, and RAINN. Here’s his full statement:
“This year has changed the way I see and feel about so many things; it
has been a thrilling and, at times, enlightening education. I have, to
this point, chosen projects from the perspective of a young actor
trying to walk in the footsteps of more seasoned actors I admire. But
I am learning that a good role isn’t the only criteria for accepting a
job–that has become much clearer to me in the past few months,
having witnessed the birth of a powerful movement intent on ending
injustice, inequality and above all, silence.I have been asked in a few recent interviews about my decision to work
on a film with Woody Allen last summer. I’m not able to answer the
question directly because of contractual obligations. But what I can
say is this: I don’t want to profit from my work on the film, and to
that end, I am going to donate my entire salary to three charities:
TIME’S UP, The LGBT Center in New York, and RAINN. I want to be worthy
of standing shoulder to shoulder with brave artists who are fighting
for all people to be treated with the respect and dignity they
deserve.”
Alec Baldwin (Blue Jasmine, 2014, along with the 1990’s Alice and 2012’s To Rome With Love): Baldwin took to Twitter on January 16, 2018 and said that it’s “sad” and “unfair” so many actors are distancing themselves from Allen. “Woody Allen was investigated forensically by two states (NY and CT) and no charges were filed,” he wrote. “The renunciation of him and his work, no doubt, has some purpose. But it’s unfair and sad to me. I worked w WA 3 times and it was one of the privileges of my career.” In a second tweet, he posited that Allen could even be innocent because he’s never been formally charged with anything. “This is a charge that was investigated aggressively and resulted in…nothing,” he said.”What would it take for you to at least consider that he is telling the truth?”
Rachel Brosnahan (Crisis in Six Scenes, 2016): Brosnahan is adding her voice to the chorus of actors who admit they regret working with Allen. “Honestly, it’s the decision that I have made in my life that is the most inconsistent with everything I stand for and believe in, both publicly and privately. And while I can’t take it back, it’s important to me, moving forward, to make decisions that better reflect the things that I value and my worldview,” she told The Hollywood Reporter. “Look, I had a great experience working on that project. But I do have to take this opportunity to say that, for me, I have really struggled with the decision to do that project for a long time.”
Related Stories:
Greta Gerwig and 13 Other Golden Globes 2018 Snubs We Just Can’t Get Over
Selena Gomez “Isn’t Sure How to Answer” Questions About Why She’s Working With Woody Allen
Selena Gomez and Elle Fanning Are Starring in Woody Allen’s Next Movie