Sean Penn is skeptical of the sexual assault allegations in opposition to his Candy and Lowdown director, Woody Allen.

When requested point-blank if he could be open to working with the controversial filmmaker sooner or later, the Oscar-winner didn't hesitate together with his response.

"I'd work with him in a heartbeat," Penn mentioned throughout a go to to The Louis Theroux Podcast. "If it was the fitting [project]."

The actor went on to say that he stands by the 89-year-old filmmaker, who has lengthy been accused of sexual abuse by his daughter, Dylan Farrow, when she was a baby (he has repeatedly denied Farrow’s claims).

"Do I believe he has a nasty rap? With this stuff, I don't know anybody properly sufficient to say 100% this didn't occur, that didn't occur," Penn mentioned. "The tales are principally advised by folks that I wouldn't belief with a dime. It simply appears so closely weighted in that method."

Theroux pushed again, asking, "You're speaking usually, proper? Or, not particularly about Woody Allen? As a result of with the Woody Allen state of affairs, it was primarily his estranged daughter but in addition his son, Ronan Farrow, the journalist."

"Nicely, you gave him that title, not me," Penn mentioned of Farrow.

"I believe he's fairly revered, writes for the New Yorker," Theroux countered.

"I perceive that," Penn replied. "Put it this manner: I’m not conscious — and possibly I'm simply an ignoramus, that's a chance — I’m not conscious of any medical psychologist or psychiatrist or anybody I've ever heard discuss or spoken to across the topic of pedophilia that in 80 years of life, there's accusations of it occurring solely as soon as. I'm not conscious of that."

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He added, "And when folks attempt to affiliate what have been his, let's say, a lot youthful girlfriends, proper or improper shouldn’t be the dialog right here. Put up-puberty, consensual stuff is to me a distinct dialog."

After expressing additional skepticism of the allegations in opposition to Allen, Penn concluded, "Let's simply take a second. That's all I'm saying. I see he's not confirmed responsible, so I take him as harmless, and I’d work with him in a heartbeat."

The 89-year-old filmmaker has grow to be a controversial determine within the business amid renewed scrutiny of Dylan Farrow's longstanding sexual assault allegation in opposition to him. In 1992, Allen's ex Mia Farrow publicly alleged that he molested their 7-year-old adopted daughter, Dylan. The accusation got here some months after Farrow found that Allen had entered right into a relationship together with her 21-year-old adopted daughter, Quickly-Yi Previn.

Dylan reiterated the allegations herself in 2013. In 2021, Mia, Ronan and Dylan participated within the documentary Allen v. Farrow, during which Dylan advised her story publicly and in full for the primary time. Allen has constantly denied the allegations in opposition to him and has by no means been charged with a criminal offense (although a Connecticut prosecutor mentioned there was possible trigger for a felony case).

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The persevering with controversy gained renewed consideration within the wake of the Me Too motion and has prompted remark from many stars of Allen's movies. Some have come to Allen's protection, like Penn, Scarlett Johansson ("I imagine him"),Gina Gershon ("He's a genius"), and Diane Keaton ("I proceed to imagine him"), whereas different have denounced him, together with Greta Gerwig ("I cannot work for him once more") and Kate Winslet ("It's f—ing disgraceful").

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