Following an enormous scandal last week, everyone keeps weighing in on Harvey Weinstein and the allegations that he raped, sexually assaulted and sexually harassed multiple women. Up next comes words from Woody Allen, perhaps the least desirable voice in this particular conversation.
Allen, who has faced severe allegations of sexually molesting his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow when she was just seven years old, spoke with the BBC about the allegations.
The comedian, writer and director worked with Weinstein on a number of films, including Mighty Aphrodite, but claimed he had never heard about the allegations that Weinstein was using his power to sexually harass and assault women.
"No one ever came to me or told me horror stories with any real seriousness," Allen said. "And they wouldn't, because you are not interested in it. You are interested in making your movie.... But you do hear a million fanciful rumours all the time. And some turn out to be true and some — many — are just stories about this actress, or that actor."
Allen went on to add his sympathy, saying, "The whole Harvey Weinstein thing is very sad for everybody involved. Tragic for the poor women that were involved, sad for Harvey that [his] life is so messed up.... There's no winners in that, it's just very, very sad and tragic for those poor women that had to go through that."
He said that he hoped the situation would lead to "some amelioration," but added, "You also don't want it to lead to a witch hunt atmosphere, a Salem atmosphere, where every guy in an office who winks at a woman is suddenly having to call a lawyer to defend himself. That's not right either.... But sure, you hope that something like this could be transformed into a benefit for people rather than just a sad or tragic situation."
Allen, who has faced severe allegations of sexually molesting his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow when she was just seven years old, spoke with the BBC about the allegations.
The comedian, writer and director worked with Weinstein on a number of films, including Mighty Aphrodite, but claimed he had never heard about the allegations that Weinstein was using his power to sexually harass and assault women.
"No one ever came to me or told me horror stories with any real seriousness," Allen said. "And they wouldn't, because you are not interested in it. You are interested in making your movie.... But you do hear a million fanciful rumours all the time. And some turn out to be true and some — many — are just stories about this actress, or that actor."
Allen went on to add his sympathy, saying, "The whole Harvey Weinstein thing is very sad for everybody involved. Tragic for the poor women that were involved, sad for Harvey that [his] life is so messed up.... There's no winners in that, it's just very, very sad and tragic for those poor women that had to go through that."
He said that he hoped the situation would lead to "some amelioration," but added, "You also don't want it to lead to a witch hunt atmosphere, a Salem atmosphere, where every guy in an office who winks at a woman is suddenly having to call a lawyer to defend himself. That's not right either.... But sure, you hope that something like this could be transformed into a benefit for people rather than just a sad or tragic situation."