Kate Winslet Is Finally, Sort Of, Saying She Regrets Working With Woody Allen

Quite a few actors and actresses are coming forward in light of #MeToo to proclaim they won’t work with Woody Allen again, with some like Timothée Chalamet and Rebecca Hall even donating their salaries to charity. But Wonder Wheel’s Kate Winslet has mostly stood by the director.

Regarding the reports that Allen abused his daughter Dylan Farrow, Winslet has dismissed the issue in interviews altogether and on one occasion even said that Allen “is a woman” who writes exceptional female characters. But when Winslet took the stage at the London Critics’ Circle Film Awards on January 28, she finally spoke out about how she’s worked with abusers in the past. In her speech, she said:

I wouldn’t be able to stand here this evening and keep to myself some bitter regrets that I have at poor decisions to work with individuals with whom I wish I had not. It has become clear to me that by not saying anything, I might be adding to the anguish of many courageous women and men. Sexual abuse is a crime. While it rests with the rule of law to pass judgement, it lies with all of us to listen to the smallest of voices and to never stop listening. Also those who do have a voice are becoming afraid to say anything because of intense scrutiny and criticism. Nobody should be exempt from having a right to speak in support of vulnerable people…

In the clips available of her speech, Winslet did not address Allen by name, but the “individuals” she’s referring to most likely include him. And considering how much she has pushed back on questions regarding her work with the director, the speech is at least a step in the right direction.

Jezebel has reached out to Dylan Farrow for comment on Winslet’s speech and we will update this post when she responds.