Part 1 of the HBO docuseries Allen v. Farrow reveals that Mia Farrow learned of her longtime partner and filmmaker Woody Allen's sexual involvement with her adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn in 1992: here's a timeline of Allen and Previn's relationship. The four-part docuseries now streaming on HBO Max was directed by Dick Kirby and Amy Ziering. The series provides an intimate look at Allen and Farrow's 12-year relationship and recounts the sexual abuse allegations brought against Allen by the actress involving their adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow, soon after Farrow learned of Allen and Soon-Yi's affair.
When Allen and Farrow began dating in 1980, Farrow was recently divorced from composer André Previn and was raising their six children: biological sons Matthew, Sascha, and Fletcher, and three adopted daughters, Lark, Daisy, and Soon-Yi, along with son Moses, who Farrow adopted after the couple split. Farrow and Allen, who collaborated on 13 films together, had an unconventional relationship, maintaining separate residences with Allen showing no interest in parenting beyond extended playdates. This didn't discourage Farrow from adopting Dylan in 1985 and giving birth to the couple's son Satchel (now known as Ronan) in 1987.
In Allen v. Farrow, Farrow recalls how in January 1992, she found explicit nude photos of Soon-Yi, a college freshman, in Allen's apartment. How and when did the affair begin, and what happened after Farrow discovered the truth?
Woody Allen & Soon-Yi Previn's Family Relationship & Background Explained
In a 2018 interview with Vulture, the Korean-born Soon-Yi (born Oct. 8, 1970) said she first met Allen when she was 10 years old (Previn and Farrow adopted Soon-Yi in 1977), and she immediately disliked him. There was no familial bond genetic or otherwise. "I already had a father. He was André Previn, and Mia never married Woody, nor did they ever live together. He was my mother’s boyfriend, plain and simple." Soon-Yi began to warm to Allen when he showed a more nurturing side after she broke her ankle in the 11th grade. Soon-Yi stated that Farrow suggested that she and Allen attend Knicks games together to get the introvert to come out of her shell. These outings brought the two closer together as, in Soon-Yi's opinion, the relationship between Farrow and Allen began to fall apart.
Soon-Yi graduated from high school in 1991 and started attending Drew University in New Jersey. She ascertains her affair with Allen began during a holiday break that same year (Soon-Yi was 21, Allen was 56). However, Allen v. Farrow features testimony from individuals who claim the sexual relationship started when Soon-Yi was still in high school. On Aug. 17, 1992 Allen publically proclaimed his love for Soon-Yi amidst allegations that he had sexually molested Dylan on Aug. 4.
Woody Allen & Soon-Yi Previn Controversy Explain
Allen and Soon-Yi, who married in 1997 and have two children, have always denied any wrongdoing either legally or morally. Allen told Time he saw no "downside" to his affair with Soon-Yi, and they both painted a portrait of Farrow as abusive, vindictive, and unstable. Allen wielded a lot of power and was celebrated for films like Manhattan (1979) which featured a relationship between a 47-year-old man and a 17-year-old girl, and many people questioned if the romance was life imitating art. Although he didn't win sole custody of Dylan, Moses, and Ronan (Allen adopted Moses and Dylan in 1991), an investigation failed to provide conclusive evidence of abuse, and Allen continued to direct and rack up award nominations. However, Allen's meteoric rise has been followed by a decades-long fall from grace further expedited by the #MeToo movement, and the director told Vulture, “People think that I was Soon-Yi’s father, that I raped and married my underaged, retarded daughter.” In recent years, Amazon backed out of a four-movie deal with Allen, a publishing house scrapped plans to release his autobiography, and Hollywood A-listers have denounced him. Allen still maintains his innocence regarding Dylan's accusations of abuse, and he and Soon-Yi released a joint statement trashing Allen v. Farrow.