Woody Allen calls Dylan Farrow’s claims ‘disgraceful’
Woody Allen called Dylan Farrow’s allegations of child molestation “untrue and disgraceful,” signaling that he would fight renewed claims dating back to Allen’s tempestuous relationship with actress Mia Farrow in the early 1990s.
The movie director’s publicist, Leslee Dart, said in an email Sunday that Allen has read Dylan Farrow’s open letter, published online Saturday by the New York Times, claiming she was sexually assaulted when she was 7 by her then-adoptive father.
“Mr. Allen has read the article and found it untrue and disgraceful,” Dart said.
Allen’s lawyer, Elkan Abramowitz, also reacted: “It is tragic that after 20 years a story engineered by a vengeful lover resurfaces after it was fully vetted and rejected by independent authorities. The one to blame for Dylan’s distress is neither Dylan nor Woody Allen.”
Rowling ruing Hermione/Ron pairing
Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling is having second thoughts about having ended the series with heroine Hermione Granger paired up romantically with Ron Weasley.
The hugely successful author tells Wonderland magazine she chose the red-haired Ron for Hermione for very personal reasons having little to do with literature.
She told the magazine she “wrote the Hermione/Ron relationship as a form of wish fulfillment” and said the couple might eventually need relationship counseling.
The soon-to-be published interview was reported in the Sunday Times, which also quoted actress Emma Watson, who played Hermione, expressing doubts about the viability of her character’s relationship with Ron.
She told the newspaper that many fans doubt Ron can make Hermione happy over time.
Many fans had hoped Harry and Hermione would become a couple.
Meyers signs off ‘SNL’
Seth Meyers has departed “Saturday Night Live,” just weeks before he begins his new job as host of “Late Night.”
Meyers co-hosted “Weekend Update” on the NBC sketch-comedy series for eight seasons and was joined for his farewell newscast by “SNL” alumni Amy Poehler, Andy Samberg, Bill Hader and Fred Armisen, who told Meyers they had come to take him “to the other side.”
Meyers called his “SNL” tenure “the job I always wanted.” He joined the cast in 2001.
He’ll take over at NBC’s “Late Night” on Feb. 24.
“SNL” head writer Colin Jost will replace Meyers at the “Weekend Update” anchor desk alongside Cecily Strong. He signs on March 1.
The birthday bunch
Comedian Shelley Berman is 89. Actress Blythe Danner is 71. Singer Dennis Edwards (The Temptations) is 71. Guitarist Dave Davies (The Kinks) is 67. Singer Melanie is 67. Actress Morgan Fairchild is 64. Actor Nathan Lane is 58. Actress Maura Tierney is 49. Actor Matthew Moy (“2 Broke Girls”) is 30. Actress Rebel Wilson is 28.