Woody Allen: Why He Doesn’t Re-Watch His Films & 6 Other Fascinating Facts From His New Interview
Woody Allen gave a riveting new interview to The Hollywood Reporter on where he opens up about his newest film, his personal life with his wife Soon-Yi, working with Miley Cyrus and why he didn’t want one particular film to be made.
The iconic director is set to open the Cannes Film Festival with his latest feature “Café Society” starring Jesse Eisenberg, Kristen Stewart, Steve Carell, among others. The film tells the story of a young man with big dreams as he moves to Hollywood to work in the film industry.
READ MORE: The 10 Best-Shot Films Of Woody Allen
Allen, who’s career spans more than six decades, has been revered for his classic movies such as “Annie Hall” and “Manhattan,” but did you know that he doesn’t re-watch his films.
“No. Never seen them again. I made ‘Take the Money and Run’ in 1968 or so; I’ve never seen it again. Never seen any of them,” confessed the 80-year-old helmer.
READ MORE: Why Woody Allen’s New Movie Went to Amazon
We gathered 6 more fascinating facts we learned from his interview with the magazine. See them below:
1. On not wanting “Manhattan” to be released.
“I made them so long ago, I don’t even remember them well. I don’t have the same affectionate feeling for them as the public had. When I made ‘Manhattan’ and saw it, I was very disappointed at the time. And I spoke to Arthur Krim [the head of United Artists] and said, ‘If you don’t put this film out, I will make a film for you for nothing.’ He said: ‘You’re crazy. We like the film and we have an investment. We borrowed money to make [it]. We can’t just spend a few million dollars and then not put a film out. It’s insane.’ So they put it out, and it was a very big success. I have often said, it’s great luck, and we take credit for stuff that is out of our control.”
2. Allen on if he reads about himself.
“I never, ever, ever read anything about myself. Not my interviews, not stories about me…I scrupulously have avoided any self-preoccupation. When I first started, that was not the case. [But now I] just pay attention to the work and don’t read about how great I am or what a fool I am….When that’s over, and you’ve made your best movie, move on. I never look at the movie again — I never read anything about it again.”
3. Allen on criticism for his relationship with Soon-Yi and if he was traumatized by it.
“I was immune, yes I was. You can see I worked right through that, undiminished. Made films all through those years and at the same rate I was making them. I’m good that way. I am very disciplined and very monomaniacal and compartmentalized….Oh, no. Not in the slightest [was I traumatized].”
4. Allen on how Soon-Yi changed him.
“And so I’ve been able to really make her life better. I provided her with enormous opportunities, and she has sparked to them. She’s educated herself and has tons of friends and children and got a college degree and went to graduate school, and she has traveled all over with me now. She’s very sophisticated and has been to all the great capitals of Europe. She has just become a different person. So the contributions I’ve made to her life have given me more pleasure than all my films.
Changed me? I don’t know if you could say she changed me. I don’t know if I’ve changed. I might be the same person I was when I was 20. I’m not sure. I mean, I seem to have the same habits, the same work habits, the same phobias, the same enjoyments. I don’t think I have changed much over the years at all.”
5. Allen on Miley Cyrus.
“I met her for this project. I noticed years ago that my kids would be watching Hannah Montana. And I would say: ‘Who is that girl? She’s got such a good delivery. You know, she snaps those lines off so well. The show is a silly little show, but she’s very good at what she does.'”
6. Allen on meeting Samuel Beckett.
“I was there having coffee, and someone said: ‘Samuel Beckett is over there. Would you like to meet him?’ And I said, ‘Sure,’ and I went over and we chatted for a little while. He was very nice. I was never a great Beckett fan. But I wanted to meet Jean-Paul Sartre. I wanted to do that, and someone connected with him said, ‘It can be arranged for a price.'”
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