To wonder why Woody Allen was able to adopt two children?

[puddingsforsandy]

With the historic knowledge he may have sexually abused his then 7 year year old step Daughter? this is a man who went to marry another step daughter of his. How was he able to adopt two further daughters who are mirror images of his wife and other step daughter. Has anyone read the open letter that the abused daughter wrote yesterday? why is Hollywood so silent on these matters?

Woody Allen may not have been Soon-Yi's legal father. However, he had been in a relationship with Mia Farrow since Soon-Yi was between 7 or 9 years old (no-one knows Soon-Yi's exact age, and it was estimated by bone scan, according to Wiki). Mia Farrow and Woody Allen had children together, Soon-Yi's half-siblings.

Woody Allen was a father figure in Soon-Yi's life, surely? Either that, or he was one of those step-parents who take totally no interest in their step-children and ignore them totally while parenting their non-step-children. The latter doesn't make him a wonderful human being, either.

I agree fully, it's wrong but as many others have said he's rich and in this world it means everything . I hope those little girl's are o.k.

Farrow and Allen adopted three children together; their relationship ran from 1980-1992. They also has a child of their own, Ronan. So to say he had little part in the lives of Farrow and her children with Previn, is really, quite ludicrous.

After ending his relationship with Mia Farrow in 1992, Allen continued his relationship with Soon-Yi Previn. Though Allen never married Mia Farrow[112][123] and was not Previn's legal stepfather, the relationship between Allen and Previn has often been referred to as a stepfather involved romantically with his stepdaughter[124] because she was adopted and legally Farrow's daughter and Allen's son's sister.

Part of the reason they split was detailed in a Vanity Fair article by Allen. Farrow found nude photos of Soon-Yi in Allens possession whilst they were married. Allen describes this as 'lucky' because it provoked the split and allowed him to marry Soon-Yi

In a 2005 Vanity Fair interview,[121] Allen estimated that, despite the scandal's damage to his reputation, Farrow's discovery of Allen's attraction to Soon-Yi Previn by finding nude photographs of her was "just one of the fortuitous events, one of the great pieces of luck in my life

I think he's at best, a grubby old man with a penchant for young attractive woman and the financial means to buy them.

The judge in the custody case between Allen and Farrow seemed pretty sure he was unfit to be entrusted with the care of children. From the New York Times:

Describing Woody Allen as a "self-absorbed, untrustworthy and insensitive" father, a judge in Manhattan yesterday rejected his attempt to win custody of his three children and awarded custody to their mother, Mia Farrow.

In a scathing 33-page decision, Acting Justice Elliott Wilk of State Supreme Court denounced Mr. Allen for carrying on an affair with one of Ms. Farrow's daughters, trying to pit family members against one another and lacking knowledge of the most basic aspects of his children's lives.

He was able to because he's rich and famous, no two ways about it.

No, he was never proven guilty but I know for a fact that you would be considered ineligible to adopt if there is even a whisper of child sexual abuse on your record here in the States...unless of course you're rich. And famous.

Also imo there's no way in hell that Ronan is Woody's biological son, and seeing as he despises him I'm glad of it.

I was just reading about Ronan. You can see who his father really is. Im inclined to believe the speculation.

Right? Look at his face! There's mostly his mother in him, but them old blue eyes don't lie.

I don't think anyone said 'its fine' because soon-yi wasn't woody Allen's daughter.

Its still not good, of course its not, but continuing spreading misinformation is not good either. Certainly complain about Allen, but complain for the right reasons. Even if you can't know for certain the truth behind the allegations.

Personally I refuse to get involved in witch hunts. There have been too many cases of people being falsely accused because people take misinformation and assume its true.

People do lie about being victims of sexual abuse. It is impossible to know who the real victim here is. Yes, it is more likely to by Dylan as fewer alleged victims lie than alleged perpetrators, but you can't make a case based on probability.

Because maybe the social workers who oversaw the adoptions know more than we all do

There was no arrest, court case, prosecution.

Do you honestly think that in the early 90s in America if there was good evidence against him, authorities would not have arrested him!

This was at a time when there was heightened awareness of padeopholia in the media etc and I suspect if they could have convicted such a high profile person they would have.

I can't say I know any single parent, who would relish the idea of their child being in an intimate relationship with their own ex. This isn't a regular may-december relationship as Allen had previously been in a position of trust over Soon-Yi.

Allen and Farrow adopted 3 kids together, for most people that's as big a commitment as marriage. Those adopted siblings now have to call their sister "step-mum"? WTF?

Allen disgusts me, and I'd certainly not be willing to allow him within the vicinity of any of the younger members of my own social circle.

sharaluck - I think the exact opposite happens when someone is famous. Everyone is afraid to arrest unless the evidence is cast iron. In cases of sexual abuse of children, unless a man has been filmed, it always relies on the testimony of a child.

^ I think this too^

If the sexual abuser is female, very rich, high status or well-connected then the word of a mere child is even less likely to be listened to, much less believed. Adults who may know of it keep quiet for fear of losing their own jobs, social status etc by "rocking the boat".

Because he has broken no law and never been convicted of breaking one.

You can't punish people on the basis of accusations that went no further.

No, Belacoros but I guarantee he would not have been able to adopt if he were, say, a plumber who got in a relationship with his former girlfriend's daughter and then was accused of molesting her child, whether there were convictions or not.