Dylan Farrow is the adopted daughter of actress Mia Farrow and filmmaker Woody Allen. She has accused Allen of sexually abusing her when she was seven years old, a claim that he has vehemently denied. Her story has been the subject of a long and controversial legal and media battle that has spanned decades. Here are some key facts and events about Dylan Farrow and her allegations against Allen.
Dylan Farrow Early Life and Adoption
Dylan Farrow was born in Texas in 1985 and adopted by Mia Farrow when she was two weeks old.
Mia Farrow was in a relationship with Woody Allen since 1979, but they never married or lived together. They collaborated on 13 films together, including “Annie Hall”, “Hannah and Her Sisters” and “Crimes and Misdemeanors”.
Allen co-adopted Dylan and her brother Moses in 1991. He also had a biological son with Mia, Ronan Farrow, who was born in 1987.
Dylan was an artistic child who loved to read, write and play make-believe with her younger brother Ronan.
The Alleged Abuse and Its Aftermath
In August 1992, Mia Farrow discovered nude photos of her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn, then 21, in Allen’s apartment. She confronted him and learned that he had been having an affair with Soon-Yi for months.
A few days later, on August 4, 1992, Dylan told her mother that Allen had touched her inappropriately in the attic of their Connecticut home. Mia recorded Dylan’s account on a video camera and reported the incident to a pediatrician, who notified the authorities.
Allen denied the allegations and accused Mia of coaching Dylan to make false claims out of revenge for his relationship with Soon-Yi. He sued Mia for custody of their three children.
A six-month investigation by the Yale-New Haven Hospital Child Sexual Abuse Clinic concluded that Dylan had not been abused and that her statements were inconsistent and influenced by Mia. The report was criticized by some experts for its methodology and credibility.
A judge in New York denied Allen’s custody bid and granted Mia sole custody of their children. The judge also criticized Allen’s behavior and relationship with Soon-Yi as “grossly inappropriate” and “self-absorbed”.
The Connecticut state prosecutor said that he had probable cause to charge Allen with sexual abuse, but decided not to pursue the case to spare Dylan the trauma of a trial.
Allen and Soon-Yi married in 1997 and have two adopted daughters.
The Resurgence of the Controversy
In 2014, Dylan Farrow wrote an open letter in The New York Times, detailing her allegations against Allen and calling out Hollywood for honoring him with awards and roles. She also accused some of her siblings, including Moses, of siding with Allen and discrediting her.
Allen responded with an op-ed in The New York Times, reiterating his innocence and blaming Mia for brainwashing Dylan. He also claimed that Ronan might be the biological son of Frank Sinatra, Mia’s first husband.
In 2018, amid the #MeToo movement, several actors who had worked with Allen expressed regret or distanced themselves from him. Some also donated their salaries from his films to charities supporting survivors of sexual abuse.
In the same year, New York Magazine published an interview with Soon-Yi Previn, who defended Allen and accused Mia of being abusive and manipulative. Mia and Ronan denounced the article as biased and inaccurate.
In 2020, Dylan published her first book, “Hush”, a young adult fantasy novel. She also launched a podcast, “Good Thing”, where she interviews other survivors of sexual abuse and trauma.
In 2021, HBO released a four-part documentary series, “Allen v. Farrow”, which revisits the case from Dylan’s perspective and includes new evidence and interviews. The series also features the video footage of Dylan as a child describing the alleged abuse to her mother.
Allen and Soon-Yi issued a statement denouncing the documentary as a “hatchet job” and a “shoddy hit piece”. They also accused HBO of having a conflict of interest because of its partnership with Ronan.
FAQs: The Ultimate guide to your questions
Q: Is Woody Allen still making movies?
A: Yes, but he has faced difficulties in finding distributors and actors for his projects in the US. His latest film, “A Rainy Day in New York”, was shelved by Amazon Studios in 2018 after renewed backlash over the allegations. It was later released in Europe and other countries in 2019. His next film, “Rifkin’s Festival”, premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain in 2020.
Q: What is Dylan Farrow’s relationship with her family now?
A: Dylan Farrow is married to artist Eric Larkin and has a daughter named Evangeline. She is close to her mother Mia and her brother Ronan, who have supported her throughout her ordeal. She is estranged from her father Woody Allen and her sister Soon-Yi Previn. She has also cut ties with some of her siblings who have defended Allen or questioned her credibility, such as Moses Farrow.
Q: What does Dylan Farrow want from Woody Allen?
A: Dylan Farrow has said that she does not want money or fame from Woody Allen. She has said that she wants him to admit his guilt and face accountability for his actions. She has also said that she wants to raise awareness about child sexual abuse and empower other survivors to speak out.
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