Woody Allen on Life and Death

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Sep 17, 2025

Woody Allen, the legendary filmmaker and writer known for classics like Annie Hall and Manhattan, shares his unique insights at 89. He discusses the therapeutic power of creativity and his new novel, exploring the blurred lines between accusation and conviction. Allen reflects on aging, mortality, and how his Jewish background shapes his storytelling. He also delves into the dynamics of attraction and societal perceptions, revealing the humor and authenticity that have defined his prolific career.

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INSIGHT

Why He Shifted From Films To Books

Allen says he turned to novels and plays late because the movie industry changed and lost its old prestige.
He felt fewer rewards from filmmaking's present distribution and sought new creative forms.

ADVICE

Treat Creativity As Regular Work

Don't fetishize filmmaking as mystical; treat it as work and keep producing.
Allen emphasizes steady output over waiting for rare inspiration to maintain productivity.

ADVICE

Cast For Realness, Not Performance

Cast actors who sound and feel real rather than those who 'act' the part.
Allen advises directors to value naturalism and conversation-style delivery in auditions.

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You know the name Woody Allen. Everyone does. He’s made some of the most acclaimed films ever made: Annie Hall, Hannah and Her Sisters, Crimes and Misdemeanors—he list goes on and on and on. He’s made an astonishing 50 movies.

You see his influence everywhere, from sitcoms to stand-up to just about every rom-com made since Annie Hall premiered in 1977. And in the process, he turned himself into America’s most unlikely leading man: short, thinning hair, bespectacled, and exceptionally neurotic.

Now, at age 89, Allen is out with his first novel, What’s With Baum? Its protagonist is an anxious, smart Jewish writer with a messy personal life who gets himself in a great deal of trouble. Yes, it’s like a Woody Allen movie in book form. It’s also funny and delightful, and touches on a major theme of our age: the idea that an accusation, once made, is as good as a conviction.

Allen knows something about that. In 1992, his longtime romantic partner Mia Farrow discovered that Allen had begun a relationship with her adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Allen was in his 50s at the time, Previn was just 21. All hell broke loose, with Farrow accusing Allen of grooming and preying on her daughter.

The scandal became fodder for tabloids and late-night talk shows but soon took a much darker turn, with Farrow accusing Allen of molesting their 7-year-old daughter Dylan in August 1992. The charges were never proven in court—indeed they were twice dismissed—but the court of public opinion was another matter.

Today on Honestly, we get into everything about Allen—from the accusations to his subsequent cancellation in the MeToo era to his childhood in Brooklyn and his climb from Flatbush to the commanding heights of American comedy, film, and culture. We delve into how he’s changed and the many ways in which he hasn’t. We talk about his marriage to Previn, which is still going strong after 28 years. His thoughts on President Donald Trump, NYC mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani, The New York Times, and American politics more broadly. We’ll hear what he thinks about life, death, and aging as he approaches 90, and much, much more.

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