The Slatest

Dylan Farrow’s Brother: “Of Course Woody Did Not Molest My Sister”

Soon-Yi Previn and Woody Allen attend the Versus Versace launch hosted by Donatella Versace at the Lexington Avenue Armory on May 15, 2013 in New York City

Photo by Astrid Stawiarz/Getty Images

Slate’s Jessica Winter has been all over the story of Dylan Farrow’s allegations that her father, Woody Allen, sexually abused her two decades ago, but a quick update from today, via People magazine, which landed an interview with Farrow’s brother, Moses Farrow (who the magazine describes as a “a family therapist”). In short, Moses Farrow is taking his father’s side in the bitter family feud:

… Moses Farrow is speaking out to defend Allen—and accuse their mother, Mia Farrow, of poisoning the children against their father. “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.”

The magazine also managed to get comment from Dylan, who called her brother’s comments a “betrayal” to her and her entire family. “My mother never coached me,” Dylan said. “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.’”

You can read the full People magazine article here, and Winter’s piece from yesterday on why we shouldn’t be listening to one of Allen’s biggest defenders, director Robert Weide, here. Soon, you’ll also probably be able to read Woody Allen’s own rebuttal in the pages of the New York Times. In the meantime, look for Slate to have more soon.

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This post has been updated.