Though much of Hollywood has distanced itself from Woody Allen, Scarlett Johansson said that she believes the director and would gladly work with him again.
“I love Woody,” Johansson told The Hollywood Reporter in an interview published on Wednesday. “I believe him, and I would work with him anytime.”
Johansson has worked with Allen on three films, including “Match Point,” (2005), “Scoop,” (2006) and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona” (2008).
However, after Amazon Studios terminated its four-picture production deal with Allen, the director has been unable to find U.S. distribution for his latest film, “A Rainy Day in New York.” The film’s stars, including Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Hall, have publicly expressed their regret over working with Allen and donated their earnings from the film to charity.
The backlash stems from accusations that were resurfaced in the wake of the #MeToo movement from Allen’s daughter Dylan Farrow that he inappropriately touched her when she was 7-years-old. Investigators found no evidence of abuse and Allen has repeatedly denied the accusations.
Johansson, who herself is an activist against sexual violence and has been involved with Time’s Up, said that she’s recently had conversations with Allen and has had to reckon her feelings for him within the larger cultural conversation.
“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.” she told THR. “It’s hard because it’s a time where people are very fired up, and understandably. Things needed to be stirred up, and so people have a lot of passion and a lot of strong feelings and are angry, and rightfully so. It’s an intense time.”
“A Rainy Day in New York” stars Elle Fanning and Chalamet in a romance set in Manhattan, and the film is set to open the Deauville American Film Festival in France.
Allen also recently wrapped shooting his next film, his 51st overall, in San Sebastian, Spain under the working title of “Rifkin’s Festival.” The film stars Christoph Waltz, Wallace Shawn, Gina Gershon, Elena Anaya, Louis Garrel and Sergi López. The film is a co-production of The MediaPro Studio.
Read Johansson’s full interview with THR here.