Allen loses fight to see adopted daughter
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Woody Allen may be enjoying rave reviews for his latest film, but his vitriolic break-up from the actress Mia Farrow has dealt him another blow as a New York judge denied him visitation rights to his 11-year-old adopted daughter, Dylan.
In his ruling, Manhattan Supreme Court Judge Elliot Wilk also delivered a stinging rebuke of the film-maker for even asking for permission to see Dylan, who has been renamed Eliza by Miss Farrow. The judge barred Mr Allen from seeing Eliza, who has not seen her father for four years, saying her "therapeutic situation is still too fragile and unsettled". The girl, according to the therapist Dr Hector Bird, "remains adamant in her negative feelings towards Mr Allen".
The judge added that Mr Allen's continued attempts to gain access to Eliza "confirms that Mr Allen still has little understanding or empathy with respect to the emotional well-being of his children".
Never married, Allen and Farrow split up in January 1992 after the actress found nude pictures in Mr Allen's apartment of her older adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. It was later revealed that Mr Allen had had a sexual relationship with Soon-Yi. Judge Wilk did, however, grant Mr Allen the right to resume his one-hour weekly visits to Satchel, the biological son he had with Miss Farrow, now renamed Sean. Psychiatric experts told the judge, however, that the boy, who is nine, "hates" his father and suffers nightmares and stomach aches at the thought of seeing him.
The lacerations to Mr Allen's character stand in contrast to the generally gushing reaction of critics to his latest film Everyone Says I Love You. Mr Allen said, in an interview in New Yorker magazine this week, that he may make a film about his legal tribulations.
"The children's interests have not been served at all," he told the magazine. "Murderers, dope-addicts, people in prison - convicted people - are allowed to see their children."
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments