Woody Allen calls abuse accusations "untrue and disgraceful"

LOS ANGELES - Woody Allen is again denying accusations of sexual abuse. They were printed this weekend in an open letter this weekend by his adopted daughter, Dylan Farrow. 

Allen ignored questions after a Knicks game Saturday night about Farrow's renewed allegations, which, through a publicist, Allen calls "untrue and disgraceful."

The allegations were posted Saturday in New York Times columnist Nicholas Kristof’s blog in a post titled "An Open Letter From Dylan Farrow."

She writes, "When I was seven years old, Woody Allen took me by the hand and led me into a dim, closet-like attic on the second floor of our house. He told me to lay on my stomach … . Then he sexually assaulted me."

The abuse allegations involving Allen's adopted daughter with Mia Farrow first surfaced in 1992. No charges were filed, but Allen did lose custody of Dylan.

Questions of sexual impropriety threatened his career again after he married Soon-Yi Previn, Mia Farrow's adopted daughter with Andre Previn, in 1997.

Allen's career is again white-hot. Diane Keaton accepted his lifetime achievement award at the Golden Globes last month. And Cate Blanchett, star of his film "Blue Jasmine," is up for an Oscar.

In her open letter, Dylan Farrow goes on to write that many sexual abuse victims "are still scared, vulnerable, and struggling for the courage to tell the truth….  What if it had been your child, Cate Blanchett?"   

Why bring the allegations up again now?

"Dylan Farrow specifically called out Cate Blanchett and other members of the 'Blue Jasmine' cast in her op-ed," said the Hollywood Reporter's Matthew Beloni. "It's probably not good for Cate Blanchett and Woody Allen when it comes to the Oscars."

Blanchett was quoted Saturday night as calling it a painful situation for the family, adding she hopes they find peace.