We’re assuming that Sean Penn wasn’t the largest fan of the Me Too motion.
The liberal actor spoke overtly about his assist of the controversial filmmaker Woody Allen throughout an interview on the “Louis Theroux Podcast″ Monday by disparaging those who have made accusations against the director — namely his son and journalist, Ronan Farrow.
The topic of the “Annie Hall” filmmaker got here up just a little over an hour and 6 minutes into the episode when Theroux requested Penn if he’d ever work with Allen once more.
Penn starred in Allen’s 1999 movie, “Sweet and Lowdown.”
In response to Theroux’s query, Penn confidently mentioned he’d work with him once more in a “heartbeat.”
Issues took a flip when Theroux requested Penn if he thinks Allen has a “bad rap.”
The 89-year-old “Midnight in Paris” director has lengthy been accused of sexual abuse by his daughter, Dylan Farrow, that occurred when she was a toddler. Allen has repeatedly denied his daughter’s claims — however Ronan has proven unwavering assist for his sister by publicly criticizing Hollywood for routinely dismissing her claims.
“Do I think he has a bad rap?” Penn questioned. “With these things, I don’t know anyone well enough to say 100% this didn’t happen, that didn’t happen or something. God forbid there’s a victim involved in something, right?”
Penn continued, “The stories are mostly told by people that I wouldn’t trust with a dime. It just seems so heavily weighted in that way.”
Theroux appeared a bit confused by Penn’s response and requested if the actor was speaking usually about Allen, who additionally made waves within the early Nineties after he started courting and finally married one among his former companion, Mia Farrow’s, adopted kids, Quickly-Yi Previn. Penn shortly revealed that he was speaking about Dylan’s allegations and Allen’s “son.”
Ron Galella by way of Getty Photographs
“Ronan Farrow, the journalist?” Theroux requested a bit incredulously.
“Well, you gave him that title, not me,” Penn mentioned with an aggravated smirk. “But, yes, Ronan Farrow.”
Theroux shortly identified to Penn that his comment about Ronan appeared a bit catty by making a cat’s yowling noise, and requested the “Mystic River” star if that was intentional.
“Just clarification,” Penn mentioned, indicating that sure, it was meant to be slicing.
“I think he’s quite respected,” Theroux mentioned about Roanan, who received a Pulitzer in 2018 for his protection of the Harvey Weinstein story for The New Yorker.
“He writes for The New Yorker,” Theroux informed Penn.
“Uh huh,” Penn mentioned earlier than making a collection of sarcastic facial expressions that implied he was biting his tongue. “And I understand that, yeah.”
After Theroux laughed as a result of awkward change, Penn went on.
“Ok, let’s put it this way. I am not aware — and maybe I’m just an ignoramus, that’s a possibility. I am not aware of any clinical psychologist or psychiatrist or anyone I’ve ever heard talk or spoken to around the subject of pedophilia that in 80 years of life, there’s accusations of it happening only once. I’m not aware of that.”
Penn then went on to say that he thinks it’s unfair when folks assume Allen was able to sexually abusing Dylan as a toddler as a result of the “Blue Jasmine” director tended thus far youthful girls earlier than settling down with Previn, who’s greater than 30 years youthful than Allen.
Michael Ochs Archives by way of Getty Photographs
It’s straightforward to grasp why folks make this leap, nevertheless. Allen starred in lots of his earlier movies, and in 1979’s “Manhattan,” his 40-something character has a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old highschool scholar, performed by Mariel Hemingway, who was 16 when she shot the movie. Hemingway later mentioned in her 2015 memoir that Allen made her nervous on set, and that when she turned 18, he tried to persuade her dad and mom to let her go to Paris with him, per Vox.
Penn argued Allen’s penchant for younger ladies is “not the argument here” and “that they’re two completely different issues.”
“So, I just think that whatever is the worst of people’s suspicions about him, ya know, just check them with the facts separate from the moment and the movement and all the benefitted from that,” Penn mentioned, clearly referring to Ronan’s reporting on Weinstein, the Me Too motion and Ronan incomes a prestigious award for his work.
Penn concluded, “Let’s just take a second. That’s all I’m saying. I see he’s not proven guilty, so I take him as innocent, and I would work with him in a heartbeat.”
To look at Penn’s interview in full, head over to the “Louis Theroux Podcast” on Spotify.
