Woody Allen says he is ‘sad’ for Harvey Weinstein, who he collaborated with in the past, as he faces dozens of allegations of sexual assault and harassment
Woody Allen has defended Harvery Weinstein over dozens of allegations of sexual abuse and rape, describing the situation as ‘sad’.
The director, who worked with Weinstein a number of times, said he was upset ‘for everyone involved’ and lamented the fact that Weinstein’s life ‘is so messed up.’
While he hoped the investigation into alleged abuse would provide some respite to victims, he added that he worries about a witch hunt against men.
He told BBC Arabic: ‘The whole Harvey Weinstein thing is very sad for everybody involved.
‘Tragic for the poor women that were involved, sad for Harvey that is 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 hoped the victims can find ‘some amelioration’ now the allegations have come to light, 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.’
Weinstein was credited with reviving Allen’s career after he was accused of abusing Dylan Farrow, the daughter he adopted with then-wife Mia, when she was seven.
Allen said it is ‘tragic for the poor women that were involved, sad for Harvey that is life is so messed up.’ Pictures is Allen (right) on the set of 1992 film Husbands and Wives with Lysette Anthony (left) who has accused Weinstein of raping her
The claims emerged in 1993 after Farrow split with Allen, having discovered he was having an affair with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn.
An investigation was launched but later dropped with no charges made against Allen. He has always vehemently denied the claims.
Dylan repeated the claims in a 2014 blog post, and was supported by brother Ronan Farrow who also criticized the media for not questioning Allen more closely.
Ronan was also instrumental in bringing the allegations against Weinstein to light, interviewing 13 women who alleged he had harassed or attacked them.
Lysette Anthony, a British actress who once starred in Woody Allen’s 1992 film Husbands and Wives, is just the latest star to go public with allegations of sexual abuse by Weinstein.
Allen (pictured at the premier of Wonder Wheel earlier this year) was accused of sexually abuse Dylan Farrow, his adopted daughter with ex-wife Mia Farrow, which she was seven. He was never charged and vehemently denies the allegation
She claimed the movie mogul ‘grabbed’ her during a visit to his Chelsea home in the late Eighties after years of friendship in which ‘nothing untoward’ happened.
After she fled, she claims he began stalking her before knocking at the door of her west London home around 10am.
Ms Anthony said she opened the door in her dressing gown and Weinstein threw her against the coat rack before raping her.
She said: ‘As he ground himself against me and shoved inside me, I kept my eyes shut tight, held my breath and just let him get on with it.
‘He came over my leg like a dog and then left. It was pathetic, revolting,’ she told The Sunday Times. ‘I remember lying in the bath, crying.’
Weinstein’s lawyers said earlier this week: ‘Any allegations of non-consensual sex are unequivocally denied by Mr Weinstein.’