Rebecca Hall is reevaluating her previous apology for working with Woody Allen. In an interview with The Guardian published on Nov. 17, the 42-year-old actress shared that she now feels conflicted about the statement she made in 2018. At that time, Hall expressed regret for her involvement in Allen’s films despite the filmmaker’s controversies and the rise of the #MeToo movement.
Hall, who worked with Allen on Vicky Cristina Barcelona (2008) and A Rainy Day in New York (2019), admitted that she now struggles with her earlier apology. “I kind of regret making that statement, because I don’t think it’s the responsibility of his actors to speak to that situation,” she said.
Rebecca Hall Regrets working with Woody Allen
She went on to explain that public statements are not typically her style. “It’s very unlike me to make a public statement about anything,” she added. Hall emphasized that her form of political engagement is through her work, not through activism or public declarations.
Allen has long denied the accusations of sexual abuse made by Dylan Farrow, Mia Farrow’s daughter, who claimed Allen molested her when she was seven. He was never formally charged with any crime.
In 2018, Hall revealed that she had donated her salary from her films with Allen to the Time’s Up movement, citing her discomfort after reading Dylan Farrow’s statements. At the time, Hall explained that she realized her actions had contributed to silencing another woman, which she said weighed heavily on her conscience. “That is not something that sits easily with me in the current or indeed any moment, and I am profoundly sorry,” she had said, acknowledging her regret for working with Allen.
Reflecting on her experience filming A Rainy Day in New York, Hall recounted a moment when she and co-star Jude Law filmed a scene that felt deeply connected to the timing of the Harvey Weinstein scandal. “That day, the [Weinstein] scandal breaks, and there’s a bank of journalists and paparazzi right there,” she recalled. “They’re all listening to me say this.” She described feeling conflicted and emphasized the importance of supporting women in such moments, even with the complexity and nuances of their stories.
This internal struggle led Hall to release her public statement denouncing Allen. However, she clarified in her recent interview that she does not regret her experiences with Allen on set, as he gave her a valuable opportunity and was kind to her. “I don’t regret working with him,” Hall explained. “He gave me a great job opportunity and he was kind to me.”
Although Hall no longer communicates with Allen, she stated that it is not the role of actors to serve as moral judges in such cases. If she found herself in the same situation today, Hall said she would adopt a different approach. “I wouldn’t say anything,” she concluded. “My policy actually is to be an artist. Don’t come out and state your stuff so much. I don’t think that makes me apathetic or not engaged. I just think it’s my job.”
