‘I don’t regret working with him:’ Rebecca Hall takes back apology for working with Woody Allen

Rebecca Hall reveals she regrets apologizing for working with disgraced director Woody Allen at the height of the #MeToo movement.

Hall worked with Allen twice, collaborating with him on the movies Vicky Cristina Barcelona and A Rainy Day in New York. The #MeToo movement broke out during the production of A Rainy Day in New York after a multitude of sexual abuse allegations against Harvey Weinstein were exposed. As countless women began recounting their experiences with sexual harassment, assault, and abuse, it brought renewed attention to the allegations against Allen. In 1992, Allen was accused of molesting his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, who was nine at the time. An investigation found no proof that abuse had occurred, and Allen was never charged. However, as an adult, Farrow has maintained that Allen abused her and denied the allegations were manufactured by her mother, Mia Farrow. The fact that Allen married one of Mia Farrow’s other adopted children, Soon-Yin Previn, raised further scrutiny of his conduct.

Following the #MeToo movement, A Rainy Day in New York‘s release was delayed, and several actors condemned Allen. Among those actors was Hall, who revealed she regretted working with him, writing, “I regret this decision and wouldn’t make the same one today.” Hall also stated that her actions had “made another woman feel silenced and dismissed” and, for that, she was “profoundly sorry.” She also donated her A Rainy Day in New York salary to Time’s Up. However, now, she says that she regrets her apology.

Rebecca Hall regrets her apology

In an interview with the Observer, Hall revealed that she regretted her public apology for working with Allen. She explained she regretted it “because I don’t think it’s the responsibility of his actors to speak to that situation.” Hall also noted how, at the time, making such public statements of any kind was rare for her, as she didn’t see herself as an “actor-vist.” She stated, “It is very unlike me to make a public statement about anything. I don’t think of myself as an actor-vist. I’m not that person.”

However, Hall also suggests that her apology was genuine and came from a good place rather than just feeling obligated to do so due to pressure. She reveals she understood the significance of the #MeToo movement and had been moved by Farrow’s statements and calls not to support Allen. So, Hall “wanted to do something definitive.” Now, she doesn’t believe she would make the same decision. Not only does she regret her apology, but she wanted to make it clear that she doesn’t regret working with Allen, stating, “I don’t regret working with him. He gave me a great job opportunity, and he was kind to me.”

As for the allegations against him, she doesn’t believe actors “should be the ones who are doing judge and jury on this.” From now on, she simply wants to be an “artist,” stating, “I don’t think that makes me apathetic or not engaged. I just think it’s my job.”

Hall does have a point that actors should not be forced to speak on these issues. It’s an extremely sensitive topic that one shouldn’t feel pressured to address. Additionally, actors who were simply trying to do their job and were not complicit in abuse or actively trying to protect a disgraced individual shouldn’t have to apologize. What’s confusing about Hall’s statement is that she doesn’t claim that her entire apology was based on pressure. It seems like it came from a genuine place after a woman’s statement moved her, and she wanted to stand up for victims who felt silenced. It’s hard to understand why one would regret feeling moved and empathetic towards the #MeToo movement.

Ultimately, Hall’s statement demonstrates the complexity of the #MeToo movement in Hollywood. There’s no clear answer regarding what responsibility, if any, actors have when it comes to disgraced figures like Allen. While shows of support and solidarity can make a difference, Hall presents the idea that actors don’t have a duty to apologize or answer for the actions of others and should simply be allowed to be artists.