Woody Allen says he has no regrets about socializing with Jeffrey Epstein.
The filmmaker was strikingly nonchalant about his ties to the disgraced financier and intercourse offender in an interview from final weekend’s version of The Sunday Occasions, the place he referred to as Epstein a “charming and personable” man who “couldn’t have been nicer.”
Allen appeared forthcoming as he recalled how he first met the late financier at a dinner Epstein hosted for Prince Andrew in 2010, two years after he was convicted of soliciting intercourse from women as younger as 14.
The “Manhattan” auteur remembered accepting a publicist’s invitation, largely based mostly on what he knew of Epstein’s social circle and the truth that they have been neighbors.
“We didn’t know Jeffrey at all then, but we see all these people there and they all embraced him, so we figured, ‘OK, he’s a substantial character.’”
Requested if he was conscious of Epstein’s prison document, Allen didn’t have a straight reply.
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“He told us he’d been in jail and that he had been — I can’t remember the word — but that he’d been falsely put in jail in some way,” the director stated, shortly touchdown on the phrase “extorted” that was instructed by his interviewer.
It appeared Allen was greater than keen to just accept Epstein’s clarification, including, “He told us he was trying to make up for it now by being philanthropic and giving money to cutting-edge scientists and universities. He couldn’t have been nicer.”
Allen and spouse Quickly-Yi Previn would proceed attending Epstein’s dinner events, the place Allen remembered being impressed by the distinguished company.
“We would go and there was always a table of illustrious people, college professors, scientists, Nobel laureates — accomplished people who were fun to listen to,” the Oscar winner stated, whereas additionally ensuring to say that he “never, ever, saw Jeffrey with underage girls.”
“He always had a girlfriend but never an underage girlfriend,” he maintained.
Requested if he had any regrets about socializing with Epstein, Allen noticed no motive to distance himself from the notorious intercourse offender.
“Well, I’m a writer, so I don’t get put off,” he defined. “Those dinners were fascinating, and when it was all uncovered, it becomes interesting to a writer, because then you’re dealing with a kind of nefarious character on your doorstep.”
Epstein was arrested on federal costs for the intercourse trafficking of minors in July 2019 and died in his jail cell a month later.
