Woody credits wife for ‘changing’ him
Woody Allen has credited wife Soon-Yi Previn for “calming” him down following their 1997 marriage, insisting: “She has changed me”.
The 84-year-old director’s relationship with 49-year-old Previn has been anything but simple, considering she was the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow — Allen’s former partner. However, in an interview with Britain’s Mail on Sunday, Allen paid tribute to his other half for helping him get over some of his neuroses. “I have calmed down since I got married,” he explained. “I’ve got rid of many of my more neurotic traits, although I still won’t go through tunnels and I don’t like small spaces or elevators.”
Following their marriage, Allen and Previn adopted two daughters, Bechet and
Manzie, who are now 21 and 20 respectively. And as well as having “a lot of fun” with his other half, the Annie Hall veteran admitted he loves being a dad.
“Soon-Yi doesn’t really like jazz or sports, and I don’t like some of the TV shows she watches,” he continued. “But we agree on the big stuff — raising kids, where to live, how to act with each other.
“We adopted two children together. Being a father was important to me. We had a lot of fun. Both the girls are in college now, one in California and one at art college in New York. Soon-Yi changed me. She gets me to go out four or five times a week. She likes the social rumble and I enjoy it, too.”
Allen added that while his relationship with Previn “didn’t make sense” when it began, it worked for some “inexplicable reason”.
The director also touched upon the allegations made by his daughter Dylan Farrow, who has claimed that he sexually abused her as a child — claims he has repeatedly denied. “Of course I am aware I am the subject of gossip and scandal, but I cannot let it bother me,” he said. “I live my life. I work. I play jazz. I watch sports. I see my friends. I don’t look up and I don’t read anything. It was a false allegation but a great tabloid drama.”