The times they are a’changing. The one-two punch of Anthony Rapp speaking out about Kevin Spacey’s behavior and the New York Times and Ronan Farrow reporting on Harvey Weinstein ushered in a new era in Hollywood, one in which systemic harassment, assault, and gender disparity is finally being outed. This is uncharted territory for this industry, and as a result things are changing quickly in terms of what kinds of people actors and filmmakers are willing to work with.
Woody Allen has been the subject of controversy for decades, ever since an affair with his adopted daughter was revealed when she was 22 years old. Additionally, Allen’s other daughter Dylan Farrow said in 1992 that she had been sexually assaulted by her father.
Dylan penned an op-ed in the Los Angeles Times in early December asking why the #MeToo revolution had spared Woody Allen, spurring a number of actors who have worked with Allen in the past to express regret and vow never to work with him again. This includes Greta Gerwig, who had a role in Allen’s 2012 film To Rome with Love, and Rebecca Hall, who recently stated she has donated her salary from Allen’s next film, A Rainy Day in New York, to the Time’s Up campaign.
Now another actor is following suit, as Timothée Chalamet—who also stars in A Rainy Day in New York—announced yesterday that he’ll also be donating his salary. His full statement reads as follows:
This year has changed the way I see and feel about so many things; it has been a thrilling and, at times, enlightening education. I have, to this point, chosen projects from the perspective of a young actor trying to walk in the footsteps of more seasoned actors I admire. But I am learning that a good role isn’t the only criteria for accepting a job—that has become much clearer to me in the past few months, having witnessed the birth of a powerful movement intent on ending injustice, inequality and above all, silence.
I have been asked in a few recent interviews about my decision to work on a film with Woody Allen last summer. I’m not able to answer the question directly because of my contractual obligations. But what I can say is this: I don’t want to profit from my work on the film, and to that end, I am going to donate my entire salary to three charities: TIME’S UP, The LGBT Center in New York, and RAINN. I want to be worthy of standing shoulder to shoulder with the brave artists who are fighting for all people to be treated with the respect and dignity they deserve.
Indeed as Chalamet is one of the major contenders for the Best Actor Oscar this year for his work in Call Me by Your Name, the 22-year-old performer has been asked quite a lot recently about his decision to work with Allen. Now it appears we have his answer.
It’ll be interesting to see which, if any, additional performers from A Rainy Day in New York follow suit. The film also stars Jude Law, Elle Fanning, Liev Schreiber, Diego Luna, and Selena Gomez. Chalamet's Instagram post is below:
