Jeffrey Epstein regularly touted his relationship with Woody Allen with young women, and leveraged the connection to secure them spots in his films, according to emails included in the Justice Department’s Epstein files.
New York Magazine’s The Cut combed the emails to determine how many Woody Allen films Jeffrey Epstein helped cast on Friday. The deep-dive uncovered that Epstein had supplied “assistants”—a term he used to describe the young women in his orbit—to various Allen for various films in which they appeared as extras or background actors.
The Daily Beast has reached out to Allen’s representative for comment.
The emails reveal how Epstein used powerful connections to aid his search for “girls,” like in 2012, when he emailed a modeling agency owner whose name was redacted, “I’m with Woody Allen and [he is] looking for beautiful girls to cast. Any ideas?”
They also disclose intimate details of Epstein’s relationships with Allen and his wife of over 28 years, Soon-Yi Previn, including their lavish favor exchanges.
Among the favors Epstein did for the couple, as described in the email exchanges, included helping to get their daughter into Bard College in 2017, and a major donation made in their other daughter’s name to her elite New York City prep school.
Epstein had specific requests for his “assistants” in return, involving casting in Allen’s films.
In 2014, Epstein requested a set visit to the filming of Allen’s Irrational Man, which stars Emma Stone and Joaquin Phoenix. He also wanted background roles for three of his “assistants,” the emails revealed. Their ages ranged “between the ages of 21 and 26,” Epstein wrote. The site reports that a person closely resembling one woman whose name is not redacted appears in the film during a classroom scene, seated close to Stone.
Epstein’s requests became more frequent over time.
In 2016, he emailed Previn, “If Woody is filming on the beach, could some of the assistants be extras?” and added, “I would find that amusing, only if not a pain.”
Previn wrote back that she would ask Allen, as he hadn’t even cast the film’s leads. “Nice to know that he has extras :-),” she wrote at the time.
According to The Cut, Allen appears to have made the request happen. Months later, Epstein’s executive assistant Lesley Groff would “help coordinate getting the ladies as extras” on Allen’s 2017 Kate Winslet-starrer Wonder Wheel. Emails revealed that Epstein’s aide sent his “girls” the details for a September shoot at Ruby’s Bar and Grill on the Coney Island boardwalk.
It wasn’t just women that Epstein lobbied for Allen to include in his films. Epstein texted Allen to push for their mutual buddy, comedian Bobby Slayton, to appear in Wonder Wheel as well.
“Bobby Slayton was here last night. He said your casting director contacted him??” Epstein wrote, to which Allen replied that he was “discussing that now with casting.” Slayton is credited as “Fishing Buddy” in the film.
But most of Epstein’s requests were for young women. At one point, he asked Previn whether she could connect an “assistant” of his with Allen’s casting director, Patricia DiCerto.
Previn replied, “Anything for you.”
In emails between Epstein and the young woman he’d put in touch with DiCerto, he told her, “Watch some porn, learn some new tricks,” before coming to his island.
Apparently, DiCerto failed to meet up with the young woman, prompting Epstein to follow up Previn, who expressed frustration that his requests were not heeded.
“This should have been taken care of a long time ago. He was assured that it was taken care of a long time ago,” Previn wrote back to Epstein.
“I just wanted her to be given some guidance. Nothing more,” he responded.
In 2017, Epstein wanted another young woman to be considered for Allen’s next project, 2019’s A Rainy Day in New York.
“Woodys casting director patricia will call,” Epstein promised the woman via email. But Epstein’s influence wasn’t strong enough to move the needle on the lead role, as he’d write to her weeks later, “Sorry, you would have had fun. He decided on Selena Gomez.”
