What Javier Bardem Has To Say About Woody Allen Might Raise Some Eyebrows
This article contains allegations of child sexual abuse.
In the wake of the generally positive reviews received by Aaron Sorkin's Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz biopic "Being the Ricardos," one of the film's stars has generated headlines for a controversial take completely unrelated to his latest project. Javier Bardem, who plays Desi Arnaz in the film, recently defended Woody Allen in a new interview.
During a December interview with The Guardian, Bardem, who first worked with the disgraced director on the 2008 flick "Vicky Cristina Barcelona," by all appearances delved into the subject of the allegations of sexual abuse levied against Allen due to a comparison of "cancel culture" to 1950s McCarthyism. (The latter features heavily in "Being the Ricardos.")
As early as 1992, when Allen's adopted daughter Dylan Farrow was 7 years old, she accused him of sexual abuse. The allegations against Allen once again resurfaced in February 2021 with the release of the HBO docuseries "Allen v. Farrow," which explores Farrow's account; Allen has denied wrongdoing. According to Bardem, it seems these allegations don't hold water for a big reason — but that reason could also be something based upon fallible logic.
Javier Bardem defended Woody Allen against sexual abuse allegations
In his recent interview with The Guardian, Javier Bardem derided Woody Allen's critics for "pointing fingers" at Allen without the allegations having been "legally proven." Speaking further on the matter, Bardem stated: "I try to go where logic dictates, which is: Let's follow the rules that exist to establish whether someone is guilty or innocent. If the case re-opens and he is proven to be guilty, I will be the first to say, 'What a horrible thing.' But so far, I haven't seen that."
Notably, the scenario of the allegations being proven in court — presumably those made by Dylan Farrow — is one unlikely to ever occur. In 1993, despite "probable cause to prosecute," according to Esquire, the Connecticut state attorney declined to press charges against Allen, believing a young Farrow testifying in court would be traumatic for her. And as The Guardian pointed out in 2014, the statute of limitations for Farrow to have brought charges against Allen ran out in the mid-aughts, when Farrow, now 36, was 20 years old.
Bardem is somewhat of an outlier when it comes to the stances of other actors who have worked with Allen in the past. Since the advent of the #MeToo movement in 2017 and the release of "Allen v. Farrow" in early 2021, scores of performers who previously appeared in Allen's works have spoken out against the director. Among them include Drew Barrymore, Kate Winslet, Greta Gerwig, Timothee Chalamet, Elliot Page, and Colin Firth, as well as Rebecca Hall, who starred alongside Bardem in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona."
If you or someone you know may be the victim of child abuse, please contact the Childhelp National Child Abuse Hotline at 1-800-4-A-Child (1-800-422-4453) or contact their live chat services.
If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).