In an ironic twist, everyone seems to be aware of the alleged sexual assault case against director Woody Allen, yet no one has ever heard about it being spoken in a formal setting. As if it was a rumor created by whimsical children, in the wake of #metoo Woody Allen seems to have continued unscathed in the perpetrator limelight. Allegations against him span back into the early 2000’s with his own daughter, Dylan Farrow, calling him out for molesting her as a child. Repeated again in 2014, for the majority of the population Farrow’s claims sit on a back burner while her abusive father continues to receive praise and awards.
Many critics believe that Allen’s own movies portray examples of his life, with his hit Manhattan, about an older man and his relationship with a minor, hiding the truth in plain site. It isn’t unusual in the media to portray relationships between older men and much younger women. For most this type of relationship may seem completely natural, and even to be expected. It was thought that Allen was in a relationship with an actress who was 17, and when another young woman turned 18 she recalled Allen trying to convince her to come to Paris with him. It leaves a bad taste however to believe that in any way dating children is acceptable. In reality, or romanticized in media, it’s an unhealthy portrayal of relationships.
Dylan Farrow
Farrow’s brother Moses came to their father’s side during the allegations stating that she was lying about the abuse, Farrow responded by saying, “I am credible, and I am telling the truth, and I think it’s important that people realize that one victim, one accuser, matters. And that they are enough to change things.” It seems though no matter how much Farrow says, celebrities still stand on either side without a wholehearted interest. Some, including actress Ellen Page, have called working with Allen their biggest regret. But behind him still stands starlets like Kate Winslet, who has only recently started mentioning regret from working with certain directors, but remained by Allen’s side during the release of Wonder Wheel, a movie she starred in that was directed by Allen.
Kate Winslet with Woody Allen
Even with Dylan Farrows’ allegations and the support from her mother and brother, Ronan, Allen still denies the claims against him; stating it was a malicious attempt by ex-wife Mia Farrows to keep him away from their adoptive children, as retaliation for starting a relationship with one of their adoptive children, Soon-Yi.