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Woody Allen has a family ally in adopted son Moses Farrow.
The brother of Dylan Farrow — who recently renewed allegations that the Blue Jasmine director sexually assaulted her at age 7, via an open letter to The New York Times — is defending Allen, and agreeing with Allen’s lawyer in the accusation that their mother, Mia Farrow, is to blame.
EARLIER: Woody Allen’s Lawyer: Dylan Molestation Charge ‘Implanted’ By Mia Farrow
“My mother drummed it into me to hate my father for tearing apart the family and sexually molesting my sister,” said Moses in an exclusive interview with People. “And I hated him for her for years. I see now that this was a vengeful way to pay him back for falling in love with Soon-Yi [Previn].”
On Feb. 1, Dylan — now 28 and living under another name in Florida — posted a letter on the blog of New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof, a close friend of her mother. The letter offered new and disturbing details about the abuse that Dylan — backed by Mia and her brother, MSNBC host Ronan — says took place. The charges erupted in 1992 after Mia discovered her then-boyfriend Allen had begun an affair with her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn (then 19 or 21) and while Allen and Mia were engaged in a custody battle over Moses, Dylan and Ronan. Authorities investigated, and no charges were brought against Allen. Via spokeswoman Leslee Dart, Allen called Dylan’s new letter “untrue and disgraceful,” and his lawyer Elkin Abramowitz appeared on NBC’s Today on Feb. 4, saying the molestation idea was “implanted” in her head by her mother.
Moses is estranged from his mother and many of his siblings, but close to Allen and Soon-Yi. “Of course Woody did not molest my sister,” he continued. “She loved him and looked forward to seeing him when he would visit. She never hid from him until our mother succeeded in creating the atmosphere of fear and hate towards him. The day in question, there were six or seven of us in the house. We were all in public rooms and no one, not my father or sister, was off in any private spaces. My mother was conveniently out shopping. I don’t know if my sister really believes she was molested or is trying to please her mother. Pleasing my mother was very powerful motivation because to be on her wrong side was horrible.”
RELATED: Woody Allen: Why Hollywood Is Shrugging Off the Latest Sex Abuse Claims
Moses, who is a family therapist, accused Mia of abusing him in a different way. “Our mother has misled the public into believing it was a happy household of both biological and adopted children,” he said. “From an early age, my mother demanded obedience and I was often hit as a child. She went into unbridled rages if we angered her, which was intimidating at the very least and often horrifying, leaving us not knowing what she would do.”
He added, “I think my sister is missing a great deal in life in not reconnecting with her father, who had always adored her…It’s important that she assert her independence from our mother and not go through life with the false impression that she has been molested by my father. I am very happy I have come into my own power, separating from my mother, which has led to a positive reunion with my father.”
In response, Dylan said that she considered her brother’s statements “a betrayal to me and my whole family,” also noting that her mother initially denied the alleged incidents as well. “My memories are the truth and they are mine and I will live with that for the rest of my life…My mother never coached me…She never planted false memories in my brain. My memories are mine. I remember them. She was distraught when I told her. When I came forward with my story she was hoping against hope that I had made it up. In one of the most heartbreaking conversations I have ever had, she sat me down and asked me if I was telling the truth. She said that Dad said he didn’t do anything. and I said, ‘He’s lying.’
“I will not see my family dragged down like this,” she added. “I can’t stay silent when my family needs me and I will not abandon them like Soon-Yi and Moses. My brother is dead to me. My mother is so brave and so courageous and taught me what it means to be strong and brave and tell the truth even in the face of these monstrous lies…I have a wonderful family. We are brave and we are truthful and anyone who says anything otherwise does not know us.”
RELATED: Dylan Farrow’s Op-Ed Targets Woody Allen But Could Hurt Cate Blanchett More
As for the statements about Mia hitting him as a child, she responded, “I don’t know where he gets this about getting beaten…We were sent to our rooms sometimes.”
Also chiming in is Allen’s sister, Letty Aronson: “This is a horrible, horrible tragedy…He feels very badly for Dylan, that she has been so poisoned by her mother.”
Email: Ashley.Lee@THR.com
Twitter: @cashleelee
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