In the wake of Dylan Farrow’s open letter detailing sexual molestation she says she suffered at the hand of her father, Woody Allen, comes a defense of the director from her brother, Moses Farrow.
Moses, currently estranged from his mother Mia and many of his siblings, was one of two children, along with Dylan, adopted by Mia and Woody. He, Dylan and Woody’s biological child, Ronan Farrow, were at the center of a bitter custody battle in the early 90’s. Woody and Mia split after the director had an affair with Mia’s adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Moses talks exclusively with People magazine:
“My mother drummed it into me to hate my father for tearing apart the family and sexually molesting my sister,” Moses, 36, tells PEOPLE in the magazine’s new issue. “And I hated him for her for years. I see now that this was a vengeful way to pay him back for falling in love with Soon-Yi.”
“Of course Woody did not molest my sister,” says Moses, who is estranged from Farrow and many of his siblings and is close to Allen and Soon-Yi. “She loved him and looked forward to seeing him when he would visit. She never hid from him until our mother succeeded in creating the atmosphere of fear and hate towards him. The day in question, there were six or seven of us in the house. We were all in public rooms and no one, not my father or sister, was off in any private spaces. My mother was conveniently out shopping. I don’t know if my sister really believes she was molested or is trying to please her mother. Pleasing my mother was very powerful motivation because to be on her wrong side was horrible.”
Dylan Farrow responds:
“This is such a betrayal to me and my whole family,” she tells PEOPLE in response to her brother’s comments. “My memories are the truth and they are mine and I will live with that for the rest of my life.”
“My mother never coached me,” Dylan says. “She never planted false memories in my brain. My memories are mine. I remember them. She was distraught when I told her. When I came forward with my story she was hoping against hope that I had made it up. In one of the most heartbreaking conversations I have ever had, she sat me down and asked me if I was telling the truth. She said that Dad said he didn’t do anything. and I said, ‘He’s lying.’ “
Moses accuses Mia of bullying him:
“Our mother has misled the public into believing it was a happy household of both biological and adopted children,” he says. “From an early age, my mother demanded obedience and I was often hit as a child. She went into unbridled rages if we angered her, which was intimidating at the very least and often horrifying, leaving us not knowing what she would do.”
And Dylan responds:
“I don’t know where he gets this about getting beaten,” counters Dylan. “We were sent to our rooms sometimes.”
“I will not see my family dragged down like this,” she adds. “I can’t stay silent when my family needs me and I will not abandon them like Soon-Yi and Moses. My brother is dead to me. My mother is so brave and so courageous and taught me what it means to be strong and brave and tell the truth even in the face of these monstrous lies.”
Moses, who works as a family therapist (!!!) has reconciled with Woody and his sister, Soon-Yi:
“I think my sister is missing a great deal in life in not reconnecting with her father, who had always adored her,” he says. “It’s important that she assert her independence from our mother and not go through life with the false impression that she has been molested by my father. I am very happy I have come into my own power, separating from my mother, which has led to a positive reunion with my father.”
Wow. The ugly has just stepped up a notch.
More Woody Allen’s Lawyer Defends Him on the Today Show
Via People Magazine
