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Colin Firth: 'I would not work with Woody Allen again'

The actor worked with the director on 2013's Magic in the Moonlight 

Jack Shepherd
Friday 19 January 2018 10:24 GMT
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The Oscar winner is vehemently anti-Brexit, and has self-described as an ‘enthusiastic European’
The Oscar winner is vehemently anti-Brexit, and has self-described as an ‘enthusiastic European’

As the #MeToo movement has picked up momentum, a growing number of actors have spoken publicly about regretting their decision to work with controversial filmmaker Woody Allen.

Allen’s adopted daughter Dylan Farrow has alleged on numerous occasions that the directed sexually assaulted her many years ago, accusations that have been denied.

During an interview broadcast by CBS, Farrow said people who worked with Allen should “acknowledge their complicity” in perpetrating a “culture of silence in their industry.”

Dylan Farrow accuses Woody Allen of sexual assault for the first time on television

Colin Firth — who appeared in Allen’s 2013 film Magic in the Moonlight before allegations against Allen had resurfaced — has offered a statement on working with the director, telling The Guardian: “I wouldn’t work with him again.”

Firth has previously spoken in support of the #MeToo movement. Last year, the actor detailed the "shame" of not acting when Harvey Weinstein accuser Sophie Dix mentioned an assault to him.

“I don’t think she went into all the horrific detail I’ve read in her interview," Firth said. "But I remember her being profoundly upset by it. To my shame, I merely expressed sympathy. I didn’t act on what she told me.

“It was a long time ago and I don’t know if she remembers telling me, but the fact that I had that conversation has come back to haunt me in the light of these revelations," he added: “I admire Sophie’s courage. This can’t have been easy.”

Meanwhile, Allen has denied all allegations once again, releasing a statement in response to Farrow’s recent remarks, accusing ex-wife and Dylan’s mother Mia Farrow of "relentlessly coaching" her into thinking he was a "dangerous sexual predator”.

The director then accused the Farrow family of "cynically using the opportunity afforded by the Time's Up movement to repeat this discredited allegation”.

"I never molested my daughter — as all investigations concluded a quarter of a century ago," Allen said. "When this claim was first made more than 25 years ago, it was thoroughly investigated by both the Child Sexual Abuse Clinic of the Yale-New Haven Hospital and New York State Child Welfare.

"They both did so for many months and independently concluded that no molestation had ever taken place. Instead, they found it likely a vulnerable child had been coached to tell the story by her angry mother during a contentious breakup."

Greta Gerwig — who appeared in Allen’s movie To Rome With Love — was one of the first actors to publicly speak out about regrets working with him, saying: “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.”

Two actors who worked on the upcoming Allen film A Rainy Day in New YorkTimothée Chalamet and Rebecca Hall — have donated their salaries to the Time’s Up movement.

The Time’s Up legal defence fund was set up by women in the entertainment industry to provide support to victims of sexual harassment at work and has raised more than $16m (£12m) so far.

Colin Firth has been contacted by The Independent for further comment.

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