Ben A. Pruchnie/Getty Images(CANNES, France) — A day after his son Ronan Farrow penned an essay in The Hollywood Reporter about his sister Dylan’s accusations of sexual assault against their father, Woody Allen, the director has responded.
“I never read anything about me, these interviews I do, anything,” Allen said, referring to the fact that he hadn’t read Farrow’s piece, according to Variety. Allen made the comments during a press lunch he attended on Thursday for the Cannes Film Festival, where his latest movie is being featured.
Allen also referenced a 2014 guest column he wrote for The New York Times, where he responded to the past allegations by writing, “Of course, I did not molest Dylan. I loved her and hope one day she will grasp how she has been cheated out of having a loving father.”
After saying that this New York Times column was his only full rebuttal to the accusations, which first began in the early 90’s and resurfaced in 2014, Allen added, “I have moved so far past it. I never think about it. I work. I said I was never going to comment on it again. I said everything I have to say about it.”
In Ronan Farrow’s piece for The Hollywood Reporter Wednesday, the journalist shared his disgust for the continued reverence of Allen, 80, despite his sister’s claims.
“It sends a message to victims that it’s not worth the anguish of coming forward. It sends a message about who we are as a society, what we’ll overlook, who we’ll ignore, who matters and who doesn’t,” Ronan, 28, wrote. “‘It’s not personal,’ one once told me. But it hurts my sister every time one of her heroes like Louis C.K., or a star her age, like Miley Cyrus, works with Woody Allen. Personal is exactly what it is — for my sister, and for women everywhere.”
Allen was vehement at the luncheon that “I never read anything,” including the Farrow piece.
“I never read what you say about me or the reviews of my film. I made the decision I think five years ago never to read a review of my movie. Never read an interview. Never read anything, because you can easily become obsessed with yourself,” he continued. “Forget about all that. Just work. It’s worked for me. I’ve been very productive over the years by not thinking about myself.”
Variety notes when one of their reporters reminded Allen they weren’t talking about a critic, but rather his son, Allen replied, “I’ve said all I have to say about it.”
The accusations from Dylan Farrow first surfaced publicly in 1993, when Allen and Mia Farrow were going through a custody battle over their three children, including Dylan’s brothers, Ronan and Moses. Allen had begun a relationship with his ex’s adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, whom he married in 1997.
Allen has consistently denied the abuse allegations, and no criminal charges were ever filed against him in connection with them.
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