Woody Allen is speaking out about cancel culture in a new interview with Variety.
The 87-year-old was, of course, the subject of jaw-dropping sexual abuse allegations by adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow several years ago. And while the filmmaker has denied those allegations, and continued to make movies abroad, his reputation in the US has been scarred, to say the very least.
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That was on his mind when he spoke with the industry mag for a wide-ranging chat at the Venice Film Festival over the long weekend. Published on Sunday night, the interview touched on a lot of Allen’s filmmaking thoughts and theories, and on his work with this latest film Coup De Chance, which is premiering at the festival.
But it also covered Farrow’s shocking allegations. As Variety claims, Allen “suddenly turned gloomy” when their reporter asked him to comment on Farrow.
Thinking about the fallout from those 2021 claims, the longtime filmmaker said:
“I feel if you’re going to be canceled, this is the culture to be canceled by. I just find that all so silly. I don’t think about it. I don’t know what it means to be canceled. I know that over the years everything has been the same for me.”
Then, he added:
“The fact that it lingers on always makes me think that maybe people like the idea that it lingers on. You know, maybe there’s something appealing to people. But why?”
Hmmm…
Of course, Woody hasn’t been getting major media and marketing distribution for his films stateside for a while now. So, in that way, “cancel culture” has found him. But he’s also hard at work in France and elsewhere with — possibly — no signs of slowing down.
Related: Jameela Jamil SLAMS Met Gala For ‘Cancel Culture’ & Honoring ‘Bigot’ Karl Lagerfeld
Speaking on his career at this point in his life now that his 50th (!) film has premiered at Venice, Woody said:
“I make my movies. What has changed is the presentation of the films. You know, I work and it’s the same routine for me. I write the script, raise the money, make the film, shoot it, edit it, it comes out. The difference is not is not from cancel culture. The difference is the way they present the films. It’s that that’s the big change.”
And he also addressed whether retirement could be imminent. It sounds like he still enjoys making movies but very much hates raising money for them, as he explained to the industry pub:
“I have so many ideas for films that I would be tempted to do it, if it was easy to finance But beyond that, I don’t know if I have the same verve to go out and spend a lot of time raising money.”
And with that, the debate over Woody Allen’s legacy will no doubt continue to rage on… You can read Woody’s full interview with Variety at the link HERE, by the way.
What do U think about his opinions regarding “cancel culture,” Perezcious readers?
Share your takes down in the comments (below)…
[Image via Dennis Van Tine/WENN]
