Penn tells Theroux: 'I would work with Woody Allen in a heartbeat'

Sean Penn has reiterated his defence of Woody Allen, saying he would "work with him in a heartbeat".

- Andrew Pulver

Penn was speaking on The Louis Theroux Podcast, and told the broadcaster that, while he felt he didn't know Allen well enough to know for certain that "100% this didn't happen", he said: "The stories are mostly told by people that I wouldn't trust with a dime. It just seems so heavily weighted in that way."

Allen is accused of sexual abuse by the director's adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow; Allen has always denied the allegations and two official investigations by social services departments in Connecticut and New York state were closed after finding no evidence against him.

Allen's son, the investigative journalist Ronan Farrow, has been outspoken in support of Dylan, while adopted son Moses Farrow has been equally outspoken in defence of Allen. Penn worked with Allen on the 1999 film Sweet and Lowdown, for which he was nominated for an Oscar.