Blanchett says social media isn’t the “judge and jury” of Woody Allen

In light of the current #Metooo movement and CBS This Morning‘s explosive interview with Dylan Farrow many staunch supporters of Hollywood filmmaker Woody Allen have distanced themselves from the star and his recent projects. However, Allen has found a friend in Aussie actress Cate Blanchett who has told an interviewer that she thought his family matters had already been settled in court and that she had great faith in the justice system.

In a new interview with American broadcaster, CNN Blanchett said that social media was “not the judge and jury” when it came to matters of sexual harassment and abuse. Blanchett worked with Allen on the Academy Award-nominated film Blue Jasmine, for which she won the Academy Award for Best Actress.

When asked by host Christiane Amanpour how she juxtaposed being a passionate supporter #MeToo and Time’s Up movements and staying silent about her work with Woody Allen the actress said she didn’t believe that she had stayed silent at all, “At the time that I worked with Woody Allen, I knew nothing of the allegations, and it came out during the time that the film was released,” Blanchett said. “At the time, I said it’s a very painful and complicated situation for the family, which I hope they have the ability to resolve.”

The Aussie actress avoided answering whether she would work with Allen again but mentioned that she believed the matter had already been settled in court.

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“If these allegations need to be re-examined which, in my understanding, they’ve been through court, then I’m a big believer in the justice system and setting legal precedents.” the actress said. “If the case needs to be reopened, I am absolutely, wholeheartedly in support of that.”

“Because I think that there’s one thing about—social media is fantastic about raising awareness about issues, but it’s not the judge and jury,”she added.

Blanchett did say that while she supports women fighting against sexual harassment online she prefers the legal condemnation of sexual abusers, as it prevents such abuses in the future, “I feel that these things need to go into court, so if these abuses have happened, the person is prosecuted, and so someone, who is not in the shiny industry that I am, can use that legal precedent to protect themselves,” she explained. “Always, in my industry or any other industry, they’re preyed upon because they’re vulnerable.”

In recent times many actors and actresses have dropped their support for Allen including Kate Winslet, Colin Firth, Michael Caine and a star from his most recent project, Timothée Chalamet.

Do you agree with Blanchett? Do you think some of the #Metoo movement is a witchhunt?