Journalist Ronan Farrow learned all about “abuse of power” as a kid when his family was torn apart by molestation allegations made against his filmmaker father, Woody Allen.
The reporter’s mother, actress Mia Farrow, famously broke off her relationship with Allen in 1992 and accused the actor/director of abusing her adopted daughter, Dylan, then seven.
Allen was never charged with a crime and has always maintained his innocence, but the claims have continued to hit headlines ever since Dylan went public with her side of the story in 2014.
Ronan has previously insisted he has no doubt his sister is telling the truth, and in a new interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he acknowledges how his own family history partly spurred him on to help other alleged victims of sexual misconduct by digging into accusations made against disgraced movie mogul Harvey Weinstein.
“You see early in life with that kind of a family background the way in which the most powerful men in America wield power for good and for ill,” he said. “And probably, yes, the family background made me someone who understood the abuse of power from an early age.”
Ronan’s first Weinstein expose for the New Yorker was published in October (17), days after the producer had been slammed as an alleged serial sexual predator in an article in The New York Times, and Farrow reveals he was initially hesitant about pursuing the investigation after receiving words of warning from a number of publicists, attorneys, and talent agents.
The journalist also claims to have received threatening phone calls, and noticed “mysterious men” following him in public, prompting his mum to express some serious concerns for his safety.
“He shared enough of what he was uncovering for me to be increasingly concerned for his safety,” Mia recalled. “But he knew and I knew that it was a moral issue. He had to continue, even when that meant putting a lot on the line.”
As for his own father, Ronan is hopeful the new wave of solidarity for victims of sexual harassment and abuse will encourage actors to think more carefully before continuing to work with Allen onscreen as questions about his past remain.
“It’s not for me to say what Hollywood will or won’t do,” he remarked. “I will say that in every industry there are still powerful men facing credible allegations of wrongdoing who continue to evade accountability. As empowering a moment as this moment is, there’s still a long way to go.”
Ronan’s statements regarding Allen’s career in Hollywood emerge after actress/director Greta Gerwig vowed never to work with Woody again after researching the abuse allegations made by Dylan, while her To Rome with Love co-star Ellen Page previously admitted making the 2012 movie was “the biggest regret of my career”.
