Scarlett Johansson’s Woody Allen double-standard: Her director friend is ‘innocent’ because he says so, but James Franco isn’t?
It’s possible that Scarlett Johansson’s publicists have become accustomed to dealing with fierce social media backlash whenever the actress opens her mouth to a reporter, whether it’s about “trends in casting” that keep her from playing a transgender man or whether it’s about anything else.
Johansson’s latest in-depth interview, this time with the Hollywood Reporter, is no exception — with the “Black Widow” star taking the very unpopular position of defending Woody Allen.
“How do I feel about Woody Allen?” asked Johansson, 34, who starred in three films with the director, including the acclaimed “Match Point.”
“I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him anytime,” she said.
Allen’s long, Academy Award-winning career as a director and writer of “Annie Hall,” “Manhattan” and other American classics came to a halt in the wake of the #MeToo and Time’s Up movements.
Allen, 83, has long faced allegations that he molested his daughter Dylan Farrow in 1992, when she was 7 years old. For two decades, the film industry and Allen’s fans accepted his denials and Allen’s narrative that — since he was never charged with a crime — his daughter’s allegations must have been the product of her mother, Mia Farrow, coaching her during a particularly bitter breakup and custody battle.
But attitudes toward Allen changed after the New York Times and New Yorker revealed that movie mogul Harvey Weinstein, a Allen collaborator, had allegedly sexually assaulted or harassed multiple women, including actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Rose McGowan, Annabella Sciorra and Salma Hayek. The industry and American culture became aware of the need to “believe women” and to look at allegations against powerful men in a new, critical light.
Allen was one of those men to face new scrutiny. A number of his collaborators, including Greta Gerwig, decided to distance themselves from the director and say they would never work with him again.
But not Johansson — despite the fact that she was one of the prominent Hollywood actresses to sign on to support the Time’s Up movement in late 2017 and Allen was one of the men caught in its cross-hairs.
Indeed, at the 2018 Women’s March on Washington, Johansson didn’t call out Allen. She instead called out James Franco after he had been accused of sexual misconduct. The Palo Alto-born actor, writer and director had worn a Time’s Up pin to the Golden Globes days before the Los Angeles Times ran a story about five women accusing him of a range of sexually inappropriate, exploitative behavior.
“How could a person publicly stand by an organization that helps to provide support for victims of sexual assault while privately preying on people who have no power?” Johansson said in the speech. “I want my pin back, by the way.”
Watch Scarlett Johansson call out James Franco at the Women's March pic.twitter.com/rCoFJORWdJ
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) January 22, 2018
Like Allen, Franco denied the allegations. But from Johansson’s comments to the Hollywood Reporter, it sounds like there is at least one key reason that the actress thought Allen should be believed, unlike Franco.
It is that Allen is her friend.
Pulling no punches, Johansson told the Hollywood Reporter, “I see Woody whenever I can, and I have had a lot of conversations with him about it. I have been very direct with him, and he’s very direct with me. He maintains his innocence, and I believe him.”
The social media backlash to Johansson’s comments was quick, with quips about how her publicists must be pulling out their hair, especially if they hoped to campaign her for a best actress Oscar nomination for her role in Noah Baumbach’s highly anticipated new divorce drama, “Marriage Story.”
Dear lord at Scarlettt Johannson. What a hole to dig.https://t.co/toV0sKhd49
— Lennart Lundgren (@ruxtab) September 4, 2019
Scarlett Johansson – Woody Allen comment is a PR disaster. #BlackWidow pic.twitter.com/KmBCaxUTs4
— Pallav Gogoi (@pallav_) September 4, 2019
In previous years, Johansson demurred when asked about the controversy surrounding Allen, telling The Guardian in 2014 that she was “unaware” of a backlash against him.
But no more. Some praised Johansson’s comments to the Hollywood Reporter for defending the director, who, they say, should be considered “innocent until proven guilty.”
But those hitting back at Johansson reminded of her Time’s Up statements about believing women and denouncing abusers, her criticism of Franco and the fact that Allen’s breakup with Mia Farrow was prompted by his affair with her adopted, college-age daughter Soon-Yi Previn.
Some also questioned whether Johansson’s defense of Allen was a bit self-serving, given that his films brought her critical praise.
I have zero respect for her, and I don’t know why Hollywood continues to reward her problematic behavior.
— Christina Ritter (@CMRitterActor) September 4, 2019
She believes the guy who's accused of raping one daughter of his long term partner and then literally started an affair with, took compromising photos of, and then married one of the partner's other daughters. She's not too bright.
— dolores quintana (@doloresquintana) September 4, 2019
Scarlett Johansson reminds everyone that enablers come in all shapes and sizes, regardless of outer beauty.#enable#childabuse#rape#ScarlettJohansson
— Mabel Young (@MabelYo86688944) September 4, 2019
Allen’s friendship with Jeffrey Epstein, the controversial financier and accused sex trafficker who died by suicide in his Manhattan jail cell Aug. 10, also came up in tweets castigating Johansson.
Woody Allen was literally a friend of Jeffrey Epstein and would go to his island. How much more proof do you need??? She’s twisted!
Scarlett Johansson defends Woody Allen: 'I believe him, and I would work with him anytime' https://t.co/xdtlMoGARj
— MadeInGuinea (@mediamogulbitch) September 4, 2019
I don't know why people are being mean to Scarlett Johansson for standing up for @Woodyallen. Poor Woody, his best friend Jeffrey Epstein just died so he deserves a break. pic.twitter.com/Dfd6kylZyN
— Hera (@HeraSometimes) September 4, 2019