Scarlett Johansson defends Woody Allen: ‘I believe him’

Actress Scarlett Johansson is back in the headlines for making yet another controversial statement, this time about director Woody Allen. In the Hollywood Reporter on Wednesday, Johansson pledged her loyalty to Allen, whose daughter, Dylan Farrow, has accused him of sexual abuse.

“How do I feel about Woody Allen?” Johansson said. “I believe him, and I would work with him anytime.”

Johansson has already collaborated with Allen on multiple projects, including “Match Point,” “Scoop” and “Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” and she says she has no regrets — unlike Hollywood heavyweights Greta Gerwig and Timothée Chalamet, who have removed themselves from the widely shunned filmmaker’s circle, especially in the wake of the #MeToo movement. Chalamet — hot off his “Call Me By Your Name” breakout fame — famously donated his salary from Allen’s “A Rainy Day in New York” to three charities, including Time’s Up.

“I see Woody whenever I can, and I have had a lot of conversations with him about it,” Johansson said of Allen’s reputation. “I have been very direct with him, and he’s very direct with me. He maintains his innocence, and I believe him.”

Johansson, who is becoming known for her Hollywood hot takes, also addressed previous comments she made to As If magazine, saying she “should be allowed to play any person, or any tree, or any animal because that is my job.” The actress has received backlash in the past for playing an originally Japanese character in “Ghost in the Shell” and for accepting a role in another film as a transgender man — a part she later dropped amid a media storm. She eventually clarified her interview in As If, acknowledging her privileged position in the industry.

“There’s other voices that have more to say on this subject that probably need a microphone,” she told THR. “Yeah. I think I’m done speaking on that subject.”

Johansson’s latest project, “Marriage Story,” premiered last week at the Telluride Film Festival to rave reviews and Oscar buzz. The drama, also starring Adam Driver, will be available on Netflix in December.