Actors You'll Never See In Another Woody Allen Movie

For decades, and the better part of the tail end of the 20th century, being cast in a Woody Allen movie was a career highlight for just about any actor. The Academy Award-winning director write and directed some of the greatest movies ever made, had steered numerous actors to awards and nominations, and simply appearing in one of his films was often a step in the right direction towards building (or revitalizing) a career. Over the years, Allen worked with some of the most talented actors in Hollywood, many of whom he used repeatedly.

While for some stars, the desire to be in a Woody Allen project hasn't gone away, it has significantly diminished. It all began in 1992, as allegations were made against Allen that he sexually molested his then-seven-year-old adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. While these claims have been investigated and didn't lead to formal charges, the stink of what some claimed Allen did remains.

This was only exacerbated by the unusual manner in which he began a relationship with the woman (and adopted daughter of longtime partner Mia Farrow) he would eventually marry, Soon-Yi-Previn. While Allen continued his unprecedented output of nearly a movie a year well into the 2010s, the emerging #MeToo movement, coupled with a vitriolic renewal of allegations by Mia, Ronan and Dylan Farrow seemed to turn the tide of public opinion at the very least. Allen has since lost work, struggled to get his films made, and had multiple actors distance themselves from him. 

Below, a list of Allen veterans who were once happy to step in front of his lens — but are unlikely to do so ever again.

The following article includes allegations of domestic abuse and sexual assault.

Colin Firth co-starred alongside Emma Stone in 2014's "Magic in the Moonlight," one of Allen's lesser, later films. It was financially successful, but the critics weren't particularly kind to the film, and neither were the awards agencies. The only win "Magic in the Moonlight" received came from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists, which gave Firth and Stone the EDA Special Mention Award for the most egregious age difference between the leading man and the love interest — they are 33 years apart.

Regardless, the film did well enough, and both stars got to work with Allen, but for Firth, it was the first and last time he would do so. Firth filmed his scenes in 2013, shortly before Dylan Farrow published an open letter describing her molestation by Allen when she was seven. While the allegation has never resulted in charges, Farrow's letter reignited scrutiny around Allen at a time when he was being honored for his work with another Academy Award nomination.

In January 2018, Farrow gave her first on-camera interview on the subject with CBS News. That same day, The Guardian asked Firth if he'd ever appear in another Allen project, and the actor's answer was a succinct "I wouldn't work with him again." Similarly, Firth spoke out against Harvey Weinstein, who executive produced "The King's Speech," which earned Firth an Academy Award. Firth told The Guardian he felt nauseated reading about the allegations after he benefited from Weinstein's support, so it's unsurprising he would feel the same about Allen. 

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.

Mira Sorvino may be Paul Sorvino's daughter, but she paid her dues in Hollywood without the benefit of nepotism. She had several minor roles in films and television before landing a starring role in "Mighty Aphrodite." The film didn't only make her a household name; it also earned her an Academy Award for best supporting actress. Doors were opened, and she spent the next couple of decades leading films like "Romy and Michele's High School Reunion," which has become a cult classic.

Still, even though "Mighty Aphrodite" made Sorvino a star, and decades later remains arguably the best film she's ever been in, it's the one role she's ashamed of taking. Soon after Dylan Farrow's open letter was published, Sorvino published an open letter of her own, apologizing to Dylan and Mia Farrow. "I confess that at the time I worked for Woody Allen, I was a naïve young actress. I swallowed the media's portrayal of your abuse allegations against your father as an outgrowth of a twisted custody battle between Mia Farrow and him and did not look further into the situation, for which I am terribly sorry. For this, I also owe an apology to Mia."

Sorvino was one of many women whose career was likely sidelined by Harvey Weinstein. She was one of the first actors to speak out about Weinstein's sexual misconduct as the #MeToo movement began. Sorvino told People her early career is tainted by both men, and it "ruins" both her Oscar performance and "Mighty Aphrodite" itself. 

"It's so crazy that so much of much of my early career is tainted by [Allen] and by Harvey Weinstein," she said. "It's sort of breathtaking."

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).

These days, Greta Gerwig is probably best known for directing "Lady Bird" and "Little Women," but she has a long career of writing and acting. She played Sally in "To Rome with Love" alongside Alec Baldwin and Jesse Eisenberg in the vignette "John's Story." The film wasn't one of Allen's greatest and hasn't fared well with critics. Regardless, Gerwig's career didn't take a hit after appearing in the Allen film; it only improved. She landed screenwriting and directing duties on 2023's "Barbie," and continues an upward trajectory.

In 2018, Gerwig was interviewed alongside Alan Sorkin by Frank Bruni for The New York Times. The scope of the interview was to get their take on their careers, their films, and the year itself. The conversation inevitably steered into Allen's sexual abuse allegations when Bruni asked if someone's career should be impacted by their off-camera actions. He mentioned Allen's name alongside Roman Polanski, and Gerwig singled Allen out in her response:

"If I had known then what I know now, I would not have acted in the film. I have not worked for him again, and I will not work for him again," she said. "Dylan Farrow's two different pieces made me realize that I increased another woman's pain, and I was heartbroken by that realization. I grew up on his movies, and they have informed me as an artist, and I cannot change that fact now, but I can make different decisions moving forward."

Brosnahan's career has been meteoric, as she has jumped from one successful project to another, first gaining attention in "House of Cards" and "Manhattan," then becoming a household name with "The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel." Brosnahan plays the eponymous Mrs. Maisel on the popular Amazon series, which earned her four Primetime Emmy Award nominations and one win. She worked with Allen on four of the six episodes of "Crisis in Six Scenes," a 2016 miniseries Allen created for Amazon.

In January 2018, Brosnahan appeared on The Hollywood Reporter's podcast a month after Dylan Farrow published an op-ed, "Dylan Farrow: Why has the #MeToo revolution spared Woody Allen?" The topic was raised, and she said, "I had a great experience working on that project. But I do have to take this opportunity to say that for me, I have really struggled with the decision to do that project for a long time. ... While I can't take it back, it's important to me, moving forward, to make decisions that better reflect the things that I value and my worldview."

In the podcast, she concluded, "I do think that we need to make sure that we don't keep letting s****y men dominate the conversation about extraordinary women," referencing her work on "House of Cards" as the allegations made against Kevin Spacey came to light. Brosnahan's career has continued to flourish since giving the interview, and while she won't work with Allen again, she's finding plenty of work elsewhere. 

Rebecca Hall has had the chance to work with Woody Allen on two occasions throughout her career. In 2008, she played Vicky in "Vicky Christina Barcelona," which earned her a Golden Globe nomination. More recently, Hall worked with Allen on "A Rainy Day in New York," released in 2019 after becoming largely sidelined by attempts to "cancel" Allen. While her role in "Vicky Christina Barcelona" was substantial, she only had a minor part in "Rainy Day." Despite this, her work with Allen after Dylan Farrow's letter and op-ed raised eyebrows.

During the lengthy period of time when "A Rainy Day in New York" was wrapped but struggling to find a venue for Stateside distribution, Hall took to Instagram and posted her thoughts on the issue. The now-deleted message read, "After reading and re-reading Dylan Farrow's statements of a few days ago and going back and reading the older ones — I see not only how complicated this matter is, but that my actions have made another woman feel silenced and dismissed. I regret this decision and wouldn't make the same one today. It's a small gesture and not one intended as close to compensation, but I've donated my wage to @timesup" (via The Guardian).

The Times Up movement began in 2018 following what is known as the Weinstein effect, largely credited for spawning the #MeToo movement. It's unclear how much money Hall donated to the organization, though she's not the only actor to donate their salary in such a way. The nonprofit fights sexual harassment in all industries and assists victims of sex discrimination and other related issues.

Timothée Chalamet has had a relatively short and impressive career since he started acting professionally in 2008. He went on to land roles in "Interstellar," "Call Me by Your Name," "Lady Bird," and "Dune" among others. He also played Gatsby in "Rainy Day" opposite Hall; his role was considerably more significant, as he played not only one of the leads, but the so-called "Woody Allen surrogate" role, much like John Cusack, Will Ferrell, Jason Biggs and Larry David before him. 

Just as Hall did, Chalamet spent the nearly two years between wrapping "Rainy Day" and its release evolving his stance on Allen.

In a now-deleted Instagram message addressing their collaboration, Chalamet acknowledged he was asked about working with Allen in several interviews. As a result, he felt he should address the issue directly because of his contractual obligations that prohibited comment elsewhere. "What I can say is this: I don't want to profit from my work on the film, and to that end, I am going to donate my entire salary to three charities: TIME's UP, The LGBT Center in New York, and Rainn [Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network]" (via The Guardian).

He concluded, saying he wanted to be worthy of standing beside the other "brave artists who are fighting for all people to be treated with respect and dignity they deserve." Chalamet's decision was met with derision by Allen, who claimed in his 2020 memoir "Apropos of Nothing" that the young actor donated his salary and publicly denounced him in a bid to win an Academy Award for his work in "Call Me by Your Name" (via Entertainment Weekly).

David Krumholtz has had a long, successful career, predominantly as a character actor in his early work. He gained positive attention in "The Santa Clause" and "10 Things I Hate About You" in the 1990s, and most fans probably still remember him as Head Elf Bernard from the "Santa Clause" franchise. Krumholtz has continued to work in Hollywood, making appearances on television series and in a plethora of movies, and in 2017, he played Jake in Woody Allen's "Wonder Wheel."

Shortly after Dylan Farrow's open letter made headlines, Krumholtz took to Twitter to express his regret in a now-deleted message. "I deeply regret working with Woody Allen on Wonder Wheel. It's one of my most heartbreaking mistakes. We can no longer let these men represent us in entertainment, politics, or any other realm. They are beneath real men." His fans and others in the industry chimed in, including "Curb Your Enthusiasm" director/producer Bob Weide, who has been a vocal defender of Allen.

To this, Krumholtz responded that Allen "was a hero. So I was fascinated, and I didn't want to believe it. I'm sorry, Bob. But I've chosen to prioritize Dylan's account over all others. Coupled with the @washingtonpost story and his eagerness to produce yet another tone-deaf film" (via Entertainment Weekly). Krumholtz was likely referring to the WaPo article, "I read decades of Woody Allen's private notes. He's obsessed with teenage girls," by Richard Morgan.

Newman, best known for his portrayal of Arthur on Amazon Studios' "The Tick" and voicing Orko on "Masters of the Universe: Revelation," has a couple of voice credits to his name; he's been working in Hollywood for nearly two decades, and although few would point to him for his work with Allen, he did appear in one of his movies. In fact, Newman appeared in only one scene, also in "A Rainy Day in New York."

While his part was small, it significantly impacted the actor. Newman struggled with his decision to work on the film, and when the allegations against Harvey Weinstein came out, he felt it necessary to take to Twitter to explain his thinking and apologize. Newman's tweets, which have since been deleted, are filled with regrets and apologies with the following highlights:

"I worked on Woody Allen's next movie. I believe he is guilty. I donated my entire salary to RAINN." He went on to explain that he appears in a single scene, considered quitting for a month and regretted his decision to remain. Newman went on to explain he chose to stay because his parents were proud of him, he hoped to gain experience from the work, and he was a coward (via Business Insider). Newman showed remorse in his comments, and it's clear he won't work with Allen again.

Sir Michael Caine has long been a celebrated actor, having appeared in dozens of notable films. He's taken home two Academy Awards for best actor in a supporting role, for Allen's "Hannah and Her Sisters" in 1986 and for "The Cider House Rules" in 1999. Caine only worked with Allen on "Sisters," but seeing as it was Caine's first Oscar, it was a huge milestone for his career. Caine and Allen have a long history dating back decades, and unlike others on this list, he doesn't regret working with the director.

That said, Caine has sworn never to work with Allen again. In a 2018 interview with The Guardian, Caine was asked what he thought of the accusations against Allen.  

"I'm a patron of the NSPCC and have very strong views about pedophilia," he explained. "I can't come to terms with it because I loved Woody and had a wonderful time with him. I even introduced him to Mia [Farrow]. I don't regret working with him, which I did in complete innocence. But I wouldn't work with him again, no."

Elliot Page has been acting since the turn of the century, and appearances in "X-Men: The Last Stand" and "Juno" put him on the map. He was nominated for an Academy Award for his work on "Juno," and ever since, he's been landing high-profile gigs. He's well known for his work on "The Umbrella Academy," and in 2020, he became the first openly trans man to appear on the cover of Time Magazine. His interview in the magazine was the first since coming out, and his career has continued to grow.

One of Page's credits is the Woody Allen film "To Rome with Love," in which he played Monica in the vignette "John's Story." In late 2017, Page took to Facebook to discuss some of the issues he had in his earlier filmmaking experiences in a now-deleted post. He described several men who abused women who trusted them, including Bill Cosby and Roman Polanski, both of whom were convicted for sex-related crimes. Another he mentioned was Allen, writing the following:

"I did a Woody Allen movie, and it is the biggest regret of my career. I am ashamed I did this. I had yet to find my voice and was not who I am now and felt pressured because 'of course, you have to say yes to this Woody Allen film.' Ultimately, however, it is my choice what films I decide to do, and I made the wrong choice. I made an awful mistake" (via Business Insider).

Hayley Atwell began acting in 2005 on the small screen, and by 2010, had a Golden Globe Award-nominated performance under her belt thanks to the TV miniseries "The Pillars of the Earth." One year later, she was Agent Peggy Carter in "Captain America: The First Avenger" — a role she has reprised multiple times over the years. While Atwell has many credits to her name, her first in film credit was relatively significant because it came in a Woody Allen movie.

Atwell's feature film debut came via 2007's "Cassandra's Dream," in which she played Angela Stark. Her role was fairly significant to the movie's plot, but according to Atwell, she didn't receive much direction from Allen. She was asked about working with Allen in an interview with The Guardian in 2018, shortly after Dylan Farrow's op-ed was published.

Atwell explained that she had no relationship with Allen, who she described as "fine but bizarre." She went on to describe "Cassandra's Dream" as a great opportunity, and she was ignorant of the allegations previously made against Allen at the time. "Would I work with him now"? No. And I stand in solidarity with his daughter and offer an apology to her if my contribution to his work caused her suffering or made her feel dismissed in any way. It's exciting that I can say this now, and I'm not going to be blacklisted."

An offspring of Hollywood royalty, Drew Barrymore has been a household name since she played Gertie Taylor in "E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial." She has acted continuously since, throughout her childhood and into some wild years, yielding an extremely busy career on both sides of the camera. These days, Barrymore hosts "The Drew Barrymore Show" and continues producing through her production company Flower Films.

Over the years, Barrymore has had the opportunity to work with many of Hollywood's greatest filmmakers, including Steven Spielberg, Wes Craven, and of course, Allen. Barrymore appeared in 1996's "Everyone Says I Love You," which is Allen's only musical. In the film, Barrymore plays Skylar Dandridge, but she did not record her own music. In his review of the film, Roger Ebert wrote that Barrymore "just plain can't sing" and was the only cast member to be dubbed.

In 2021, Barrymore had Dylan Farrow on her show, and she explained that "There was no higher career calling card than to work with Woody Allen. Then I had children, and it changed me because I realized that I was one of the people who was basically gaslit into not looking at a narrative beyond what I was being told" (via Variety).

Peter Sarsgaard's long career has placed him in a ton of movies both big and small; he first appeared in "Dead Man Walking" in 1995 and followed up that performance with numerous blockbuster films. He played the bad guy in "Green Lantern," the district attorney in "The Batman," and much more. He's been lauded for his performances and has the trophies to prove it, having received several awards and nominations, including those from the Golden Globes, Critics Choice Awards, and others.

One of his many impressive film credits includes "Blue Jasmine" in 2013. The Woody Allen film features Sarsgaard as Dwight Westlake, a wealthy widower who woos the eponymous Jasmine (Cate Blanchett, who won an Oscar for her performance). The film did well and certainly benefited Sarsgaard's career, but he wouldn't work again with Allen (who was Oscar-nominated himself for the "Jasmine" script) if given a chance. 

Sarsgaard spoke with Chuck Todd on "Meet the Press" in 2019 and was asked if he would work with Allen in the future. "I believe people when they say 'I was assaulted' or 'I was molested' or something like that because I don't think you really have any other choice. Because if we start not believing people, it's a slippery slope." Sarsgaard went on to say that although he'd already done an Allen film, he wouldn't work with him again (via People).

Evan Rachel Wood began acting in the late 1990s, earning praise for her performances in "Practical Magic" and "Thirteen." She's since appeared in numerous high-profile films, including "Across the Universe" and "Weird: The Al Yankovic Story," in which she played Madonna. Wood isn't just a talented actress; she's also an accomplished singer. Wood is also no stranger to the small screen, playing leading roles in "Once and Again" and "Westworld," among others.

One of Wood's film credits is Woody Allen's "Whatever Works." The film starred Larry David and was written and directed by Allen. In the movie, Wood played Melody, a young runaway who forms a romantic attachment to David's Boris (a man 40 years her senior). That disparity earned Allen's film another EDA Special Mention Award from the Alliance of Women Film Journalists for most egregious age difference between the leading man and the love interest.

During a 2016 interview with Rolling Stone, Wood disclosed that she was the victim of sexual assault twice in her life. She shared what she called her "confession letter" in a now-deleted tweet. While she didn't mention Allen in her letter, a fan pointed out that she had worked with him, to which she replied, "That was years before I read Dylan's letter. Unfortunately, I can't say that I would again" (via BRIT+CO).