Scarlett Johansson continues to defend her support for director Woody Allen, regardless of public reaction. The 41-year-old actress recently spoke about her decision to back Allen in 2019, when he faced sexual abuse allegations. She told The Telegraph in an interview published on Saturday, November 29, that it is "difficult to know" if she has faced any consequences for her stance.
"You never know exactly what the ripple effect is," Johansson explained. She added that she does not regret speaking openly about her own experiences with Allen at the time. "My mother always encouraged me to be myself, [to see] that it’s important to have integrity, and to stand up for what you believe in."
The Jurassic World: Rebirth actress also acknowledged a balance. "At the same time, I think it’s also important to know when it’s not your turn," she confessed.
Johansson clarified her statement. "I don’t mean you should shut up," she said. "What I mean is sometimes it’s just not your moment. And that’s something I’ve come to understand better as I’ve matured."
Allen, 90, became a controversial figure in Hollywood after accusations of sexually abusing his ex Mia Farrow’s daughter, Dylan Farrow, when she was seven years old. The prolific director has consistently denied these allegations. They first surfaced in 1992 following his separation from Farrow, with whom he was involved from 1980 to 1992.
Allen was never formally charged for the alleged abuse. However, Dylan’s accusations have continued to follow him. In 2014, she publicly detailed her alleged experience for the first time in a letter to The New York Times.
Five years after Dylan’s letter, Johansson spoke out in 2019. She had previously worked with Allen on films including Match Point (2005), Scoop (2006), and Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008).
"How do I feel about Woody Allen? I love Woody," she told The Hollywood Reporter in 2019. "I believe him, and I would work with him any time."
Johansson also stated that she and Allen had "many conversations" about the sexual abuse scandal. "He’s very direct with me," she said. "He maintains his innocence, and I believe him."
Several other actors have supported Allen over the years, including the late Diane Keaton and Sean Penn, who defended him in May. Dylan Farrow, now 40, continues to assert that Allen harmed her as a child.
In February 2021, the controversy gained renewed attention with the release of the HBO docuseries Allen v. Farrow. Later that year, Paramount+ aired a CBS Sunday Morning interview featuring Allen discussing the allegations. He again denied the accusations.
"Nothing I did with Dylan in my life could be misconstrued as that," Allen stated in the 2020 interview. "I’ve never been accused of anything in my life. Suddenly I’m going to appear in the middle of a custody fight at Mia’s country house with a 7-year-old girl. It just, on its face, I didn’t even think it required investigation."
The Annie Hall director claimed that Mia Farrow, now 80, coached Dylan, his adopted daughter, to falsely accuse him during their custody battle. "I think she believes it," Allen said about Dylan. "She was a good kid. I don’t think she’s making it up. I don’t think she’s lying. I think she believes that."