Alec Baldwin ramped up his defense of Woody Allen on Sunday, suggesting that the director's daughter, Dylan Farrow, is lying about being sexually abused by her father, and is using emotion to manipulate people into believing her.
Farrow has repeatedly claimed that Allen sexually assaulted her in the attic of their family home when she was 7 years old. Connecticut's state attorney launched an investigation in the early 1990s, around the time of the alleged abuse, and concluded that he had enough probable cause to prosecute Allen, but never brought the case to trial in order to protect the fragility of the “child victim."
Allen has always emphatically denied the allegations.
But after the eruption of the #MeToo movement, Farrow wrote an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times questioning why the "revolution" spared her father, especially since she has stood by her story for decades.
As a result, a slew of actors denounced the famed filmmaker, writing statements illustrating their regret for having worked with him. Some have promised to donate their earnings from Allen's films to nonprofits that support sexual abuse survivors.
Last week, Baldwin called Farrow's allegations "sad and unfair" and pointed out that no charges were ever filed against Allen. Then, on Sunday, the actor compared Farrow to Mayella Ewell, a character in Harper Lee's To Kill a Mockingbird who lied about being raped by a black man.
Baldwin also suggested that Farrow was using emotion to manipulate people to believe her story.
"[One] of the most effective things Dylan Farrow has in her arsenal is the 'persistence of emotion,'" Baldwin tweeted. "Like Mayella in [To Kill a Mockingbird], her tears/exhortations [are] meant [to] shame u [into] belief in her story. But I need more than that before I destroy [someone], regardless of their fame. I need a lot more."
"To say that @RealDylanFarrow is telling the truth is to say that @MosesFarrow is lying. Which of Mia’s kids got the honesty gene and which did not?" Baldwin questioned in a follow-up tweet, referring to Dylan's brother, Moses Farrow, who has defended Allen, and their mother, Mia Farrow.
Baldwin's persistent defense of Allen has sparked anger and condemnation on social media, with people lacerating him for so publicly inserting himself into Dylan Farrow's story.
Wow. Alec Baldwin doubling down on attacking Dylan Farrow on behalf of Woody Allen. The man is complete and unmitigated trash.
"He wasn't there, he doesn't know what happened, and it's none of his business," someone said.
@THR @rodoalroa What is WRONG with him? It is totally inappropriate for Alec Baldwin to make any kind of public sta… https://t.co/moeMznNEMR
"Why does Alec Baldwin always have Dylan Farrow's name in his mouth?"
Why does Alec Baldwin always have Dylan Farrow’s name in his mouth
People also declared that Baldwin "is permanently canceled."
Alec Baldwin is permanently cancelled.
And had some harsher words for him as well.
So we're done pretending Alec Baldwin isn't a shit human now right? https://t.co/CG9NzQS9bH
I hate to get graphic but Alec Baldwin can go choke on my poo.
Others lashed out at him for drawing such a comparison in the first place, and using "the plight of black people to make a point."
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahah FUCK ALEC BALDWIN AND THIS TAKE. And fuck EVERYONE who tries to use the plight of B… https://t.co/rMiLJ8KyaP
Some suggested that Baldwin never actually finished reading To Kill a Mockingbird.
Relatedly: Alec Baldwin didn’t actually finish “To Kill a Mockingbird.” https://t.co/uST3TyaeoU
Since at the end, "there's a pretty good argument to be made that Mayella's father sexually abused her."
If you haven’t read To Kill A Mockingbird, by the end of the trial there’s a pretty good argument to be made that M… https://t.co/nDem6nJ1Ph
"You should read it, it's a pretty good book."
In a statement to the Hollywood Reporter, Farrow also pointed out that whether Ewell was raped by her father is a major point of debate.
Dylan Farrow: "Considering that Mr. Baldwin confidently invoked Mayella Ewell to make his point while forgetting th… https://t.co/STCKyQ7rdQ
"It’s interesting that Mr. Baldwin chooses to dismiss the judgments of Justice Wilk and Prosecutor Frank Maco, who reviewed ALL of the evidence instead of just selected bits and pieces," Farrow said in her statement. "However, considering that Mr. Baldwin confidently invoked Mayella Ewell to make his point while forgetting that it’s been hotly debated that she was, in fact, raped by her father, demonstrates that perhaps Baldwin is just not a stickler for details.”
And wondered why the actor is still "getting second chances."
Hmmm. Ok worth a try.... Free sketch idea: a bit about how Alec Baldwin keeps getting second chances. Could be deo… https://t.co/w9GGT7CZUi
Some people noted that Baldwin stopped using his personal Twitter account last year after getting torn apart for his opinions on the #MeToo movement.
Alec Baldwin abandoned his personal twitter account in November 2017 after being an asshole about women and assault… https://t.co/FejZsnLnzt
And accused him of now using the Twitter account for his charitable foundation "as a mouthpiece to attack abuse victims."
Well, in case you needed another reason to write off Alec Baldwin as an asshole, here’s his charity foundation bein… https://t.co/5ffpdIQYYD
The actor had said it was never his intention to blame the victim and promised that his "goal is to do better in all things related to gender equality."
5- my heart goes out to all such victims. My goal is to do better in all things related to gender equality. Au revoir.
But on Sunday, he had a different message for his critics:
If my defense of Woody Allen offends you, it’s real simple. Unfollow. Condemn. Move on.