Greta Gerwig Speaks Out Against Woody Allen

Actress and Lady Bird director Greta Gerwig has issued a statement condemning Woody Allen, with whom she worked on his 2012 film To Rome With Love, in light of the sexual abuse allegations made against Allen by his daughter Dylan Farrow. Dylan Farrow accused her father of molesting her 25 years ago, writing an open letter in February 2014 that detailed the events for the first time. Hollywood is officially taking a stand against accused abusers like Allen in the wake of his son Ronan Farrow publishing a piece for The New Yorker reporting decades of sexual predation by producing mogul Harvey Weinstein. The piece has since caused many men and women to come forward telling their own horror stories of the “casting couch culture,” toppling other powerful men in Hollywood and the media.

Recently, Dylan Farrow called out prominent actresses who have worked with Allen such as Blake Lively, Kate Winslet and Gerwig, who have remained silent about the allegations. Gerwig, in a new interview with Frank Bruni of The NYT, made this statement:

It is something that I take very seriously and have been thinking deeply about, and it has taken me time to gather my thoughts and say what I mean to say. I can only speak for myself and what I’ve come to is this: If I had known then what I know now, I would not have acted in the film. I have not worked for him again, and I will not work for him again. Dylan Farrow’s two different pieces made me realize that I increased another woman’s pain, and I was heartbroken by that realization. I grew up on his movies, and they have informed me as an artist, and I cannot change that fact now, but I can make different decisions moving forward.

Gerwig made this statement just two days following the Golden Globes, which were marked by protests against the entertainment industry’s culture of sexual harassment.

Gerwig was asked about working with Allen in the Golden Globes press room, after her film Lady Bird won Best Motion Picture Musical or Comedy, to which she replied:

Well, I’m so thrilled to be here tonight as a writer and director and creator and to be making my own movies and putting that forth, and it’s something I’ve thought deeply about and I care deeply about and I haven’t had an opportunity to have an in-depth discussion where I come down on one side or the other, but I definitely take it to my heart. My job is to be a writer-director and to be that person and to tell these stories.

Before this, but following the Weinstein reveal, Gerwig was also asked about Allen during an NPR interview with Terry Gross, where she said:

It’s all very difficult to talk about because I think I and other women—we’ve—feel that this moment has been a long time in coming and also feeling terrified that we’re going to now say the wrong thing. And I think you can even see in the way that certain women have been attacked, even since taking a brave step of coming forward, and how they’ve been torn down or questioned their motives or why didn’t they say something—and just this fear that you’re going to somehow address this not correctly—and I think it’s a… I think I’m living in that space of fear of being worried about how I talk about it and what I say.

Actresses Rose McGowan, Gwyneth Paltrow, Mira Sorvino, Asia Argento and more have come forward with many horrifying stories about their experiences with Weinstein. Actress Ellen Page, who also worked alongside Gerwig and Allen on To Rome With Love, was one of the first to come out condemning him.

Dylan Farrow offered her thanks via Twitter, saying, “Greta, thank you for your voice. Thank you for your words. Please know they are deeply felt and appreciated.”

Greta, thank you for your voice. Thank you for your words. Please know they are deeply felt and appreciated. https://t.co/q7dV2yAFwH

— Dylan Farrow (@realdylanfarrow) January 10, 2018

As for Allen, he has repeatedly denied the allegations. Check out two previous Paste stories on Hollywood culture and the accusations against Allen here and here.