In a revelation that’s reignited debates over Hollywood’s tangled ties to Jeffrey Epstein, Woody Allen has broken his silence on the disgraced financier, recounting intimate dinners at Epstein’s New York townhouse that included “young women” serving guests. The 89-year-old director, long mired in his own controversies, shared the anecdotes in a September 2025 interview with The Times, describing Epstein as “charming and personable” despite the sex trafficker’s infamous crimes. Allen’s words, delivered with his signature wry detachment, pull back the curtain on a web of power, privilege, and unease that once thrived in elite circles, prompting fresh questions: How deep did Epstein’s influence run in Tinseltown, and who else dined at that table?

The disclosures emerged during a wide-ranging chat at Allen’s Upper East Side apartment, where he and wife Soon-Yi Previn hosted journalist Hadley Freeman. Allen recalled multiple dinners starting in December 2010, including one with Prince Andrew, where the fare was “lots of dishes, plenty of choices, numerous desserts, well served.” He likened Epstein’s opulent home to “Castle Dracula,” noting the “young women” who waited tables, but insisted the vibe was innocuous: “He couldn’t have been nicer.” In a 2010 birthday letter to Epstein, Allen had joked about the financier’s “young women” and “interesting” gatherings, adding a layer of discomfort to his reflections.

Allen’s candor, unapologetic as ever, underscores the scandal’s lingering shadow. Epstein, who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex trafficking charges, hobnobbed with A-listers like Bill Clinton and Donald Trump, but Allen’s account spotlights a more intimate, bohemian orbit. “It was a mix of illustrious people,” Allen said, downplaying any red flags despite Epstein’s 2008 conviction for soliciting a minor. The director, no stranger to scrutiny over his relationship with Previn and #MeToo accusations, framed the dinners as harmless social encounters, but critics see it as tone-deaf nostalgia for a predator’s playground.

The timing couldn’t be more charged. With Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal denied in September 2025 and ongoing lawsuits against Epstein’s estate, Allen’s reminiscences have drawn swift backlash. On X, #WoodyEpstein trended, with users decrying his “casual complicity” and calling for boycotts of his films. Feminists and survivors’ advocates, like those from RAINN, slammed the remarks as minimizing trauma, while Allen defenders argue it’s “honest reflection” from a 89-year-old icon.

Beyond the personal, Allen’s story hints at Epstein’s broader Hollywood infiltration. Lavish parties at his Palm Beach mansion and Manhattan pad drew creatives seeking funding or cachet, fostering a network of silence that protected abusers. Allen’s unfiltered take—admitting he “didn’t know” Epstein’s full sins—mirrors the “I saw nothing” defense from other elites, raising chilling queries: How many “charming” dinners masked horror? Who else partied with the devil?

As The Times interview sparks calls for renewed probes, Allen remains defiant, promoting his memoir Woody Allen: Apropos of Nothing. His Epstein confessions aren’t a full exposé, but they crack the door on a scandal’s enduring rot. In Hollywood’s hall of mirrors, truth is the ultimate betrayal—and Allen’s just held up one sha