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Scarlett Johansson criticised over Woody Allen defence

ROME, ITALY - DECEMBER 21:  Director Woody Allen and actress Scarlett Johansson attend a photocall to promote their new film "Match Point" at the Hasler Hotel on December 21, 2005 in Rome, Italy.  (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)
Director Woody Allen and actress Scarlett Johansson promoting "Match Point", 2005. (Photo by Franco Origlia/Getty Images)

Scarlett Johansson is bearing the brunt of an online backlash, after she defended Woody Allen in a recent interview with The Hollywood Reporter.

Johansson, who has worked with Allen on three movies, said that she believed him following decades old allegations that he molested his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, when she was a child.

“I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him anytime,” Johansson said.

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

Read more: Reviews for Woody Allen’s new movie are not good

The 83-year-old director was cleared of wrongdoing in the 90s, after a 14 month investigation into the claims, but the allegations have since re-emerged, notably in a 2017 interview Dylan Farrow conducted with CBS.

Farrow herself broke a lengthy absence from Twitter to post:

Now some have turned on Johansson over the comments, including Pod Save America host John Lovett, partner of Dylan Farrow's brother Ronan.

Many also deemed it opportune to bring up Johansson’s recent controversial decision to appear in the movie Ghost In The Shell, the Manga remake in which she was accused of whitewashing.

Johansson has starred in three of Allen's movies, Match Point, Scoop and Vicky Cristina Barcelona.

Johansson joins Samantha Morton in supporting Allen against his detractors, with the British actress recently saying she had ‘no regrets’ about working with him.

Scarlett Johansson poses for photographers upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Marriage Story' at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival, Venice, Italy, Thursday, Aug. 29, 2019. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)
Scarlett Johansson poses upon arrival at the premiere of the film 'Marriage Story' at the 76th edition of the Venice Film Festival, 2019. (Photo by Arthur Mola/Invision/AP)

Other stars, however, have disowned their work for him, including Colin Firth, Selena Gomez and Rebecca Hall.

Read more: Samantha Morton ‘no regrets’ about working with Woody Allen

His latest film, A Rainy Day In New York, has been at the centre of a lawsuit with its producers, Amazon Studios, which shelved the movie last year.

Allen is suing the streaming service, which he claims has reneged on a multi-picture deal.

The movie has now aired in Europe, though to mixed reviews.