Scarlett Johansson has defended her ongoing support for Woody Allen, who has been disowned by much of the film industry in the wake of sexual abuse allegations made by his stepdaughter Dylan Farrow.
The actress — who has starred in three films directed by Allen, “Match Point,” “Scoop” and “Vicky Christina Barcelona” — is one of the few names to publicly stand up to the filmmaker’s claims, first made in 1992 and resurfaced in the wake of the #MeToo movement, claims Allen has consistently denied and have been investigated and dismissed by New York authorities.
Speaking to The Hollywood Reporter in 2019, Johansson said: “I love Woody. I believe in him, and I would work with him anytime.”
In a new interview with The Daily Telegraph, the Marvel star addressed any potential backlash for his support, saying it’s “hard to know” whether he’s experienced any fallout in his professional or personal life. “You never know what the domino effect really is. But my mom always encouraged me to be myself, (to see) that it’s important to have integrity, and it’s important to stand up for what you believe in.”
Johansson added: “At the same time, I think it’s also important to know when it’s not your turn. I don’t mean that you should silence yourself. I mean that sometimes it’s just not your time. And that’s something I’ve come to understand more as I’ve matured.”
Johansson also discussed the objection she had to ChatGPT introducing a voice that she argued sounded too much like her, and suing Disney over its decision to give “Black Widow” a streaming-only release in 2021, and the fact that no other actors spoke out about these issues.
“I mean, it would be great to get more support — verbally, publicly — from the community and my peers on some of the issues impacting the entire industry.” “It’s always helpful to have more voices, you guys!”
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