Woody Allen onstage during the American Film Institute’s Life Achievement Award Gala for Diane Keaton at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Calif., June 8, 2017. (Kevin Winter/Getty Images/JTA)
Hachette Book Group announced it will not publish Woody Allen’s memoir after its employees staged a walkout in protest of the company’s deal with the acclaimed filmmaker.
Hachette announced the decision to cancel the publication of “Apropos of Nothing” on Friday. The book had been scheduled for release next month. Employees of the company staged a walkout at the company’s Manhattan office on Thursday.
Also Thursday, Allen’s son Ronan Farrow announced that he would end his relationship with the publisher over the memoir.
“Over the past few days, HBG leadership had extensive conversations with our staff and others. After listening, we came to the conclusion that moving forward with publication would not be feasible for HBG,” the publisher said in a statement to the Hollywood Reporter.
The tug-of-war over the memoir is related to a 1992 claim of sexual abuse by Allen’s daughter, Dylan Farrow, that resurfaced as the #MeToo movement gained steam. Allen has denied the allegations.
Dylan Farrow tweeted about HBG’s decision to no longer publish Allen’s memoir, writing “I’m in awe and so very grateful.”
Last year, Netflix canceled a multi-movie deal with Allen and some of his former stars have distanced themselves from him.
In May, the New York Times reported that at least four publishing houses declined the memoir over the previous year, with some calling it “toxic” or declining to even read the manuscript.
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