The Simpsons writer Steve Pepoon dies unexpectedly outside his home aged 68
He also co-created The Wild Thornberrys.
Read more >> : Cick here
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
Sean Penn Defends Woody Allen By Trying To Discredit His Son And Journalist, Ronan Farrow
The Oscar winner said he wouldn’t trust the Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist “with a dime.”
👉 Click Here to read in detail 👈
We’re assuming that Sean Penn wasn’t the biggest fan of the Me Too movement.
The liberal actor spoke openly about his support of the controversial filmmaker Woody Allen during an interview on the “Louis Theroux Podcast″ Monday by disparaging those who have made accusations against the director — namely his son and journalist, Ronan Farrow.
Sean Penn and Ronan Farrow.Getty
The topic of the “Annie Hall” filmmaker came up a little over an hour and six minutes into the episode when Theroux asked Penn if he’d ever work with Allen again.
Advertisement
Penn starred in Allen’s 1999 film, “Sweet and Lowdown.”
In response to Theroux’s question, Penn confidently said he’d work with him again in a “heartbeat.”
Things took a turn when Theroux asked Penn if he thinks Allen has a “bad rap.”
The 89-year-old “Midnight in Paris” director has long been accused of sexual abuse by his daughter, Dylan Farrow, that occurred when she was a child. Allen has repeatedly denied his daughter’s claims — but Ronan has shown unwavering support for his sister by publicly criticizing Hollywood for routinely dismissing her claims.
“Do I think he has a bad rap?” Penn questioned. “With these things, I don’t know anyone well enough to say 100% this didn’t happen, that didn’t happen or something. God forbid there’s a victim involved in something, right?”
Penn continued, “The stories are mostly told by people that I wouldn’t trust with a dime. It just seems so heavily weighted in that way.”
Advertisement
Theroux seemed a bit confused by Penn’s response and asked if the actor was talking generally about Allen, who also made waves in the early 1990s after he began dating and eventually married one of his former partner, Mia Farrow’s, adopted children, Soon-Yi Previn. Penn quickly revealed that he was talking about Dylan’s allegations and Allen’s “son.”
Woody Allen and Soon Yi Previn in 1997.Ron Galella via Getty Images
“Ronan Farrow, the journalist?” Theroux asked a bit incredulously.
“Well, you gave him that title, not me,” Penn said with an annoyed smirk. “But, yes, Ronan Farrow.”
Theroux quickly pointed out to Penn that his remark about Ronan seemed a bit catty by making a cat’s yowling noise, and asked the “Mystic River” star if that was intentional.
Advertisement
“Just clarification,” Penn said, indicating that yes, it was meant to be cutting.
“I think he’s quite respected,” Theroux said about Roanan, who won a Pulitzer in 2018 for his coverage of the Harvey Weinstein story for The New Yorker.
“He writes for The New Yorker,” Theroux told Penn.
“Uh huh,” Penn said before making a series of sarcastic facial expressions that implied he was biting his tongue. “And I understand that, yeah.”
After Theroux laughed due to the awkward exchange, Penn went on.
“Ok, let’s put it this way. I am not aware — and maybe I’m just an ignoramus, that’s a possibility. I am not aware of any clinical psychologist or psychiatrist or anyone I’ve ever heard talk or spoken to around the subject of pedophilia that in 80 years of life, there’s accusations of it happening only once. I’m not aware of that.”
Advertisement
Penn then went on to say that he thinks it’s unfair when people assume Allen was capable of sexually abusing Dylan as a child because the “Blue Jasmine” director tended to date younger women before settling down with Previn, who is more than 30 years younger than Allen.
Allen plays harmonica to Mariel Hemingway in a scene from the 1979 film “Manhattan.”Michael Ochs Archives via Getty Images
It’s easy to understand why people make this leap, however. Allen starred in many of his earlier films, and in 1979’s “Manhattan,” his 40-something character has a sexual relationship with a 17-year-old high school student, played by Mariel Hemingway, who was 16 when she shot the film. Hemingway later said in her 2015 memoir that Allen made her nervous on set, and that when she turned 18, he tried to convince her parents to let her go to Paris with him, per Vox.
Advertisement
Penn argued Allen’s penchant for younger women is “not the argument here” and “that they’re two completely different issues.”
“So, I just think that whatever is the worst of people’s suspicions about him, ya know, just check them with the facts separate from the moment and the movement and all the benefitted from that,” Penn said, clearly referring to Ronan’s reporting on Weinstein, the Me Too movement and Ronan earning a prestigious award for his work.
20 Years Of Free JournalismYour Support Fuels Our MissionYour Support Fuels Our MissionFor two decades, HuffPost has brought you the exclusives, scoops and hot takes on the news all your friends are talking about. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can't do this without you.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
We remain committed to providing you with the unflinching, fact-based journalism everyone deserves.
Thank you again for your support along the way. We’re truly grateful for readers like you! Your initial support helped get us here and bolstered our newsroom, which kept us strong during uncertain times. Now as we continue, we need your help more than ever. We hope you will join us once again.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
20 Years Of Free JournalismFor two decades, HuffPost has brought you the exclusives, scoops and hot takes on the news all your friends are talking about. Support our mission to keep us around for the next 20 — we can't do this without you.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.
Penn concluded, “Let’s just take a second. That’s all I’m saying. I see he’s not proven guilty, so I take him as innocent, and I would work with him in a heartbeat.”
Advertisement
To watch Penn’s interview in full, head over to the “Louis Theroux Podcast” on Spotify.
Advertisement
 north of Los Angeles %23torylanez)
