Dylan Farrow, Rose McGowan condemn release of Woody Allen memoir: ‘This will not stand’
Woody Allen has a new memoir coming out — and it’s not without controversy.
On Monday, Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette Book Group, announced that the book Apropos of Nothing — touted as a comprehensive account of the controversial director’s life, “both personal and professional,” including “his relationships with family, friends and the loves of his life” — will be released on April 7.
His daughter, Dylan Farrow, who has long-maintained that she was molested by him as a child (while Allen has long denied it), was among those to criticize the publisher for the book release.
“Hachette’s publishing of Woody Allen’s memoir is deeply upsetting to me personally and an utter betrayal of my brother [journalist Ronan Farrow] whose brave reporting, capitalized on by Hachette, gave voice to numerous survivors of sexual assault by powerful men.”
My statement on the disappointing and, frankly shocking, news from @HachetteUS today. pic.twitter.com/h0zuAi0T7l
— Dylan Farrow (@RealDylanFarrow) March 3, 2020
She continued, “For the record, I was never contacted by any fact checkers to verify the information in his ‘memoir,’ demonstrating an egregious abdication of Hachette’s most basic responsibility. On the other hand, my story has undergone endless scrutiny and has never been published without extensive fact checking. This provides yet another example of the profound privilege that power, money and notoriety affords. Hachette’s complicity in this should be called out for what it is and they should have to answer to it.”
Ronan denounced the move with his own statement.
Hey, just wanted to share my thoughts on some recent news: pic.twitter.com/ovPczgx8pB
— Ronan Farrow (@RonanFarrow) March 4, 2020
A spokesperson for Hachette Book Group has not yet responded to Yahoo’s request for comment.
Ronan’s book Catch and Kill — about the “lies, spies and a conspiracy to protect predators,” including the #MeToo dethroned Harvey Weinstein and Matt Lauer — was published by Hachette Book Group’s Little, Brown and Company division in October. It was a New York Times best-seller — and garnered tons of publicity.
Actress and #MeToo activist Rose McGowan, who accused convicted rapist Weinstein of sexual assault (he denied all allegations of non-consensual sex), spoke with Ronan for his book, which detailed Weinstein hiring spies to discredit her allegations — and she isn’t happy that the publisher is now giving a platform to Allen.
McGowan called out Michael Pietsch, the CEO of Hachette Book Group, saying the company “profited greatly by publishing Catch & Kill, but that’s not enough for you.” She also called the decision an “evil double cross” and betrayal of Ronan. “This will not stand,” she wrote.
SHAME ON MICHAEL PIETSCH. SHAME ON @HachetteBooks You profited greatly by publishing Catch & Kill, but that's not enough for you. What an evil double cross, betraying @Ronanfarrow by publishing Woody Allen's memoirs. Are you kidding me, Hachette? This will not stand. #shame pic.twitter.com/ZnX9ZB5lT0
— rose mcgowan (@rosemcgowan) March 3, 2020
Allen’s memoir will detail his professional and personal lives, according to the publisher, including “family” and “the loves of his life.” He is estranged from his adopted daughter Dylan and son Ronan, children with his ex Mia Farrow, whom he also doesn’t speak to, stemming from allegation that he molested Dylan when she was 7. Allen had repeated denied the allegation and no charges were filed against him.
Allen is now married to Dylan and Ronan’s sister, Soon-Yi Previn, whom Mia adopted with ex André Previn.
Despite the lingering allegations, Allen continues to make movies, including his latest directorial effort, Rifkin’s Festival. However, actors who work with him have faced criticism for doing so. And a multi-project deal he had with Netflix was terminated amid #MeToo, which he sued the company over.
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