Woody Allen's memoir loses its publisher after employees stage walkout
The publisher that acquired Woody Allen's memoir is looking to close the book on the controversy it spawned.
Hachette Book Group said Friday it will no longer publish Allen's memoir after its decision to do so generated a backlash and an employee walkout, per The Hollywood Reporter.
This comes just days after it was announced that the book from Allen, Apropos of Nothing, was set to be published by Grand Central Publishing, a division of Hachette. Other publishers had reportedly turned down the book in light of the allegation of molestation Allen has long faced from his daughter, Dylan Farrow, which he has denied. Allen's son, investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, published his book Catch and Kill with a different division of Hachette, and he blasted the company earlier this week for not informing him about the project. Farrow also said Hachette did not fact-check the book.
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On Thursday, employees of Hachette staged a walkout in protest of the book, with staffers saying they "stand in solidarity with Ronan Farrow, Dylan Farrow and survivors of sexual assault."
Hachette on Friday said the decision to cancel Allen's book was "difficult," but that after "extensive conversations with our staff and others," the company determined "that moving forward with publication would not be feasible." The publisher said, though, that "we have published and will continue to publish many challenging books."
In a statement, Dylan Farrow on Friday thanked the employees who took part in Thursday's walkout, writing, "For someone who has felt alone in my story for so long, yesterday was a profound reminder of what a difference can be made when people stand and unite together for what's right."
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Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
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