Want the best of VICE News straight to your inbox? Sign up here.
Woody Allens publisher is dropping his memoir.
Hachette Book Group announced Friday that it wouldnt be moving forward with Allens memoir A Propos of Nothing, originally set to be published in April 2020. The news of its publication had triggered staff walkouts and a very public rebuke from the investigative reporter Ronan Farrow, Allens estranged son and a fellow Hachette author.
Ronan Farrows sister Dylan Farrow has accused Allen of sexually assaulting her at age 7, an allegation Allen denies. (Both Ronan and Dylan are the children of the actress Mia Farrow, Allens former partner.) In his statement, Ronan Farrow said that Hachette never contacted Dylan to fact-check Allens account.
Farrow added that he would be cutting ties with Hachette, which published his bestselling book Catch and Kill on his investigation into Harvey Weinstein. The publisher, Farrow said in a statement, concealed the decision from me and its own employees while we were working on Catch and Kill a book about how powerful men, including Woody Allen, avoid accountability for sexual abuse.
Its wildly unprofessional in multiple obvious directions for Hachette to behave this way, Farrow wrote. But it also shows a lack of ethics and compassion for victims of sexual abuse, regardless of any personal connection or breach of trust here.
Dylan Farrow also posted a statement confirming that she had never been contacted even though my story has undergone endless scrutiny and has never been published without extensive fact-checking.
On Thursday, dozens of staffers from imprints at Hachette walked out. An attempt by Hachettes CEO to host a town hall was also resisted as staff walked out anyway, the New York Post reported.
During the walkout, the executive editor of one division left an out-of-office signoff that read, We stand with Ronan and Dylan Farrow and survivors of sexual assault.
About 24 hours later, Hachette announced its decision to drop Allen.
“At HBG we take our relationships with authors very seriously, and do not cancel books lightly. We have published and will continue to publish many challenging books, Hachette Book Group said in a statement, according to the Hollywood Reporter. Over the past few days, HBG leadership had extensive conversations with our staff and others. After listening, we came to the conclusion that moving forward with publication would not be feasible for HBG.”
Cover: Director Woody Allen attends a press conference at La Scala opera house, in Milan, Italy, Tuesday, July 2, 2019. Woody Allen is directing Puccini’s ‘Gianni Schicchi’ opera, which opens Saturday in Milan. The opera premiered in Los Angeles and it’s making its debut at La Scala. (AP Photo/Luca Bruno)