Sean Penn would work with Woody Allen “in a heartbeat” despite sexual abuse allegations
Sean Penn has said he would work with Woody Allen again “in a heartbeat”, despite historic allegations that the actor sexually abused his own children.
Penn appeared on the latest episode of The Louis Theroux Podcast, released on May 13th. During the conversation, he discussed his relationship with Allen following the release of the film Sweet and Lowdown in 1999, in which the pair starred opposite each other and Penn also wrote and directed.
When asked by Theroux for his opinion on the actor, alleged to have sexually abused his children as minors, Penn answered: “I’d work with him in a heartbeat. If it was the right thing. Do I think he has a bad rap? With these things, I don’t know anyone well enough to say 100% this didn’t happen, that didn’t happen.”
He noted: “The stories are mostly told by people that I wouldn’t trust with a dime. It just seems so heavily weighted in that way.”
Since being accused of molesting his adoptive daughter, Dylan Farrow, in 1992, Allen has always maintained his innocence, with a criminal investigation which took place at the time filing no charges.
Challenged by Theroux on the age of sexual consent after he claimed all of Allen’s relationships occurred with women “post-puberty,” Penn responded: “So, I just think that whatever is the worst of people’s suspicions about him, just check him with the facts separate from the moment and the movement and all.”
He added: Who benefited from that. 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.
The Louis Theroux Podcast is available on Spotify and all podcast platforms.
For help, advice or more information regarding sexual harassment, assault and rape in the UK, visit the Rape Crisis charity website. In the US, visit RAINN.
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