Despite speaking at the Women’s March and being an active member of the Time’s Up movement, Scarlett Johansson still publicly defends director Woody Allen, who was accused of sexual assault by his adoptive daughter Dylan Farrow when Farrow was seven years old.
However, the actress insists that she believes (other) women.
Speaking about her controversial comments as a whole – earlier this year she faced criticism for comments she made about political correctness in acting and the casting of roles, Johansson said she doesn’t want to “lie” about how she feels.
“I’m not a politician, and I can’t lie about the way I feel about things,” she told Vanity Fair for her cover story. “I don’t have that. It’s just not a part of my personality. I don’t want to have to edit myself, or temper what I think or say. I can’t live that way. It’s just not me.”
She added, “And also I think that when you have that kind of integrity, it’s going to probably rub people, some people, the wrong way. And that’s kind of par for the course, I guess.”
In September, Johansson told the Hollywood Reporter that she would work with her friend Allen anytime and that she believes his innocence despite the Me Too movement prompting many to rethink the decades-old allegations against the 83-year-old.
When asked whether the severe backlash she faced over her stance made her “think they had a point,” Johansson replied, “I don’t know—I feel the way I feel about it. It’s my experience. I don’t know any more than any other person knows. I only have a close proximity with Woody…he’s a friend of mine. But I have no other insight other than my relationship with him.”
Journalist Chris Heath then asked Johansson whether she thought her comments about Allen could be perceived as saying to a woman who has spoken out, “I don’t believe you.”
“Yeah,” she replied. “I do understand how that is triggering for some people. But just because I believe my friend does not mean that I don’t support women, believe women. I think you have to take it on a case-by-case basis. You can’t have this blanket statement—I don’t believe that. But that’s my personal belief. That’s how I feel.”
Related stories
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
Native ad body.
