Dylan Farrow calls out Scarlett Johansson for not being a ‘true ally’

Scarlett Johansson’s name has been wildly trending lately due to the pregnancy rumors that follow her and the release of Black Widow, the latest Marvel flick. Johansson headlines Black Widow playing the title character, Natasha Romanoff, also known under the alias Black Widow.

Just a few months ago, Johansson made headlines commenting that her political beliefs shouldn’t affect her acting career, to the dismay of many. These comments received mixed reactions from her fans and followers, as her previous “political” controversies have involved topics related to racism and sexual abuse.

Johansson said, “I don’t think actors have obligations to have a public role in society. Some people want to, but the idea that you’re obligated to because you’re in the public eye is unfair. You didn’t choose to be a politician, you’re an actor.”

However, it’s becoming more and more clear that the general public doesn’t agree. In light of the Black Widow premiere, sexual abuse advocate and actor Dylan Farrow called out Johansson for not being a “true ally” like her character, Natasha Romanoff.

Dylan Farrow calls out Scarlett Johansson

Dylan Farrow has been in a long-running legal battle with her adoptive father, director Woody Allen, accusing him of sexual assault. These accusations have been publicized since the 1990s by her mother, Mia Farrow. Dylan Farrow began speaking about them nearly a decade ago.

In 2012, Dylan Farrow told Vanity Fair, “There was a period when I had to go to all these different offices; I had to tell what happened. I felt the more I had to tell it, the less I was believed. I felt they were making me say it because I was lying.”

Her many recounts of past abuse didn’t phase Johansson in 2019.

The Black Widow star and long-time Woody Allen collaborator told The Hollywood Reporter, “I love Woody. I believe him, and I would work with him any time. I see Woody whenever I can, and I have had a lot of conversations with him about it [the sexual assault allegations]. I have been very direct with him, and he’s very direct with me. He maintains his innocence, and I believe him.”

Now, in 2021, Farrow has hit back. She chose to publicly respond to Black Widow press where Johansson praised the movie’s commitment to supporting and believing women during the #MeToo movement.

Farrow tweeted, “I’m thrilled there are films like this being made that I can show my own daughter. However, I hope Scarlett as a person can carry the same convictions as her character in being a true ally to all survivors and not shield real-life villains Black Widow would beat up.”

Those in the comment section seemed to side with Farrow, with many expressing that they will not be watching the Black Widow movie due to Johansson’s supposed hypocrisy.

Is the situation black-and-white?

While Farrow’s comment resonated with some, it also caused others to question the legitimacy of the attack. Immediately after Johansson’s initial comments about Allen, she began to backtrack her words.

A few weeks later, she had told Vanity Fair, “It’s my experience. I don’t know any more than any other person knows. I only have a close proximity with Woody. He’s a friend of mine. But I have no other insight other than my relationship with him.”

A rather uncomfortable detail emerged after her clarification when in Allen’s 2020 memoir, he wrote that 19-year-old Johansson was “sexually radioactive” in his thriller Match Point.

Documented by Independent, Allen wrote, “She was only 19 when she did Match Point but it was all there: an exciting actress, a natural movie star, real intelligence, quick and funny, and when you meet her you have to fight your way through the pheromones.”

He continued, making comments about her looks, sexuality, and “drool-worthy” qualities. This raised red flags for many people who follow Johansson’s career and the controversy surrounding her kinship with Allen.

While Johansson has stayed hush on the topic since, most recently, she spoke about her “reactive” nature in a 2021 article by The Gentlewomen. In this interview, Johnasson vaguely addressed some of her comments that have lacked in “self-awareness.”

She said, “I mean, everyone has a hard time admitting when they’re wrong about stuff, and for all of that to come out publicly, it can be embarrassing. To have the experience of, ‘Wow, I was really off the mark there,’ or ‘I wasn’t looking at the big picture,’ or ‘I was inconsiderate.’ I’m also a person.”

Johansson has yet to respond to Farrow’s comment.

Black Widow is currently premiering in theaters and Disney Plus.