Woody Allen has denounced “cancel culture” as “just dumb” in a new interview, directly addressing the career fallout from longstanding sexual abuse allegations by his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, according to hollywoodreporter.com.
Speaking with The Wall Street Journal, the filmmaker maintained his innocence and stated that actors who now refuse to work with him are “making a mistake.”
He acknowledged that many stars, including former collaborators Michael Caine and Greta Gerwig, have publicly distanced themselves. “If an actor says, ‘I won’t work with him,’…he’s really making a mistake. Some day he may learn that,” Allen said, adding he is surprised by what he considers their lack of “common sense.”
The allegations, which Allen has vehemently denied for decades, claim he molested Farrow when she was seven years old.
In a direct response to the interview, Dylan Farrow issued a statement reaffirming her account. “I am sick and tired of the misogynistic and unscientific narrative that I was coached or brainwashed,” she said. “I am a 40-year-old woman. I was sexually assaulted by Woody Allen.”
Despite the controversy impacting his ability to secure A-list talent and distribution in the US, Allen continues to make films in Europe, insisting he does not get “angry” over the professional repercussions.
•Featured image: Woody Allen/Vittorio Zunino Celotto/Getty Images
