Film

Ronan Farrow Calls Out “Powerful Voices” In Hollywood Who Continue To Protect Woody Allen

The son of Mia Farrow and Woody Allen has written a damning piece just as Allen's film 'Cafe Society' opens Cannes Film Festival.

by Sinead Stubbins  12 May 2016

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This post discusses sexual assault. 

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Last night Ronan Farrow, son of Woody Allen and Mia Farrow, wrote a piece about the PR machine that protects Woody Allen against the child abuse allegations levelled against him by the Farrow family. In an article for the Hollywood Reporter, Farrow claims that Hollywood is still controlled by “powerful voices” who sweep aside his sister Dylan Farrow’s allegations of Allen’s sexual abuse, by imposing media blackouts on people and publications who report her story.

This week Woody Allen opened the Cannes Film Festival with his new film Cafe Society. In the lead up, there have been many quirky stories written about the director, including one interview from the Hollywood Reporter in which he discusses the “pleasure” that his wife (and former stepchild) Soon-Yi has given him. Ronan Farrow writes that at Cannes, Allen will “have his stars at his side — Kristen Stewart, Blake Lively, Steve Carell, Jesse Eisenberg. They can trust that the press won’t ask them the tough questions. It’s not the time, it’s not the place, it’s just not done.”

“That kind of silence isn’t just wrong. It’s dangerous. It sends a message to victims that it’s not worth the anguish of coming forward. It sends a message about who we are as a society, what we’ll overlook, who we’ll ignore, who matters and who doesn’t.” The story of Woody Allen’s sexual abuse of minors is so ubiquitous that the MC of Cannes’ opening ceremony made a joke about it in his monologue.

In the piece, Ronan Farrow says that despite the bubbling outrage that emerged when Dylan’s letter about the abuse was published on The New York Times website in 2014—which by the by, was almost published by the Los Angeles Times who then deemed it “too hot” for them, saying that it put “too many relationships at stake”—now most publications only mention the allegations as an aside. Even The New York Times gave Allen twice the space afforded to Dylan’s piece in the print addition soon after.

Farrow explains that Allen’s “powerful publicist” offers lists of people like therapists, lawyers and friends who are happy to go on the record invalidating Dylan Farrow’s claims. “The open CC list on those emails revealed reporters at every major outlet with whom that publicist shared relationships — and mutual benefit, given her firm’s starry client list, from Will Smith to Meryl Streep,” Farrow writes. “Reporters on the receiving end of this kind of PR blitz have to wonder if deviating from the talking points might jeopardise their access to all the other A-list clients.”

The piece is devastating to read, but that’s the point: too often people are willing to overlook these kinds of transgressions because it’s easier than confronting them. Even Ronan Farrow admits that he initially “begged” his sister not to speak to reporters about her alleged assault, for fear that it would make their lives harder.

The denial about Woody Allen’s rape allegations runs deep; on the press tour for Blue Jasmine, Cate Blanchett tried to distance herself from the claims by simply stating that she hope the family found “resolution”. A few days ago in Variety, Kristen Stewart said that she and Jesse Eisenberg had discussed the allegations, but decided that because she didn’t know “any of these people involved” it would be wrong to “personalise the situation”.

Looking at the increased attention at the abuse claims against Bill Cosby and R. Kelly, it’s clear that things are changing, but they are not changing quickly enough. Powerful, rich, white men like Woody Allen are still protected by people who are too fearful to speak up against him. Victims of abuse are discredited to the point where they serve as a cautionary tale on the ramifications of holding abusers accountable. “I believe my sister,” Ronan Farrow writes. How long is it going to take before the industry also believes her claims?

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If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence, call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.

Men can access anonymous confidential telephone counselling to help to stop using violent and controlling behaviour through the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.

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