Woody Allen 'immune' to criticism over his romance with Soon-Yi Previn

05 May 2016

Woody Allen has said he was "immune" to the scandal that his relationship with Soon-Yi Previn caused when they went public with their romance. The film director started dating Soon-Yi, who was the adopted daughter of his then long-term partner Mia Farrow, in the 1990s, with Mia ending her relationship with Woody in 1992 after discovering the couple's affair.Soon-Yi soon moved in with Woody, despite being 35 years his junior, and the pair tied the knot in December 1997.

Woody Allen said he was "immune" to the scandal surrounding his romance with Soon-Yi

Asked by the Hollywood Reporter whether he was at all troubled by the furore surrounding the matter, Woody, 80, replied: "Not at all. "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 compartmentalised. "Woody then went on to speak about his wife of 18 years, and how much her life has changed for the better.

Woody and Soon-Yi have been married for 18 years

"She was an orphan on the streets, living out of trash cans and starving as a six-year-old. And she was picked up and put in an orphanage," he said. "I've been able to really make her life better. I provided her with enormous opportunities, and she has sparked to them. 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. "Asked whether she had changed him, Woody replied: "Changed me? I don't know if you could say she changed me. I might be the same person I was when I was 20."

The film director no longer has contact with former partner Mia Farrow

Soon-Yi was born in Korea, and when she was seven came to the US where she was adopted by Mia with her former husband, composer André Previn.

Woody confirmed he no longer has any contact with his former partner. "No. I don't think she lives in New York. I think she lives in Connecticut. I'm not sure," he said. "Or travels for UNICEF or something."