This article mentions allegations of sexual abuse.
Back in 2019, Scarlett Johansson sparked backlash when she publicly defended Woody Allen, who had long been accused of sexually abusing his daughter, Dylan Farrow, when she was a child. Woody has repeatedly denied this claim.
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“I love Woody,” said Scarlett at the time. “I believe him, and I would work with him anytime.”
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“I see Woody whenever I can, and I have had a lot of conversations with him about it,” she added. “I have been very direct with him, and he’s very direct with me. He maintains his innocence, and I believe him.”
Naturally, Scarlett’s comments sparked a heap of backlash — not least because several other prominent actors were using their platforms to condemn Woody at the time.
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A couple of years later, Scarlett seemingly alluded to the backlash as she addressed her “embarrassing” career controversies in an interview with the Gentlewoman. “I’m going to have opinions about things, because that’s just who I am,” she said, adding, “Everyone has a hard time admitting when they’re wrong about stuff. And for all of that to come out publicly, it can be embarrassing.”
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“To have the experience of, ‘Wow, I was really off mark there.’ Or I wasn’t looking at the big picture, or I was inconsiderate. I’m also a person,” she said.
Fast-forward to today, and Scarlett — who recently became the world’s highest-grossing lead actor following the success of Jurassic World Rebirth — was asked if her past defense of Woody had any major impact on her life.
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When asked if she’s lost either friends or work opportunities following her support of Woody, Scarlett told the Telegraph, “I guess it’s hard to know. You never know what the domino effect is, exactly. But my mom always encouraged me to be myself, [to see] that it’s important to have integrity, and stand up for what you believe in.”
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“At the same time, I think it’s also important to know when it’s not your turn,” she added. “I don’t mean that you should silence yourself. I mean sometimes it’s just not your time. And that’s something I’ve understood more as I’ve matured.”
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Perhaps unsurprisingly, several internet users found Scarlett’s comments very “disappointing.” “Oh, yikes, gurl,” someone said. “You don’t have to say everything you think, ScarJo,” another comment read.
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“Not sure why she would voluntarily bring this back up,” one user wrote, while another person branded Scarlett’s remarks as “fucking gross.”
Meanwhile, one person pointed out, “She’s still like the highest paid actress in Hollywood. She just starred in a new Jurassic Park sequel. It doesn’t appear her support for Allen has affected her career trajectory in the least.”
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Feel free to share your thoughts in the comments. You can find Scarlett’s full interview with the Telegraph here.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual assault, you can call the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673), which routes the caller to their nearest sexual assault service provider. You can also search for your local center here.
If you are concerned that a child is experiencing or may be in danger of abuse, you can call or text the National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-422-4453 (4.A.CHILD); service can be provided in over 140 languages.
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