The Wild Rumors About Ronan Farrow's Biological Father

When Mia Farrow met Woody Allen in 1980, she was already a mother to three biological and three adopted children. But she wasn't done. A few months into the relationship, Farrow adopted Moses and a few years after felt the urge to have another. In 1984, Farrow approached Allen about having a baby. He agreed on the condition he wouldn't have to be overly involved. Farrow, however, struggled to conceive. So she adopted solo instead, welcoming Dylan Farrow in July 1985.

But Farrow fell pregnant less than two years later — and Allen showed he was serious about being uninvolved. "During Ms. Farrow's pregnancy, Mr. Allen did not touch her stomach, listen to the fetus, or try to feel it kick," reads the 1992 New York Supreme Court decision in the custody battle between the two. In December 1987, Farrow and Allen welcomed their only biological child, Ronan Farrow. The birth drove Farrow and Allen apart, though they remained together. 

In fact, Allen adopted two of Farrow's children, Moses and Dylan, in 1991. Many believe, however, that Allen has no biological children. That's because Ronan bears little to no resemblance to Allen. Ronan's appearance has been subject of discussion since he was born. "Mia is fine, the baby is fine — the only problem is, he looks like Edward G. Robinson," Allen's spokesperson told the AP. In the eyes of many, Ronan grew up to look a lot less like the "Key Largo" actor and a lot more like another famous entertainer.

Ronan Farrow grew up to boast deep blue eyes and striking angular features. Many things can be said about Woody Allen, but those descriptors aren't among them. They are, however, frequently used to describe the man behind Hollywood's most famous blue eyes. Between 1966 and 1968, Mia Farrow was married to Frank Sinatra. While the relationship was short-lived, the split was amicable and Farrow and Sinatra remained close until his death in 1998. "I love him very much," she told the New York Times in 1994.

Farrow's turbulent relationship with Allen and her connection with Sinatra gave rise to speculation that Ronan is the latter's son, not the former's. The "Rosemary's Baby" actor herself has fueled the wild theories by suggesting her relationship with Ol' Blue Eyes continued beyond their divorce. "He came back, over and over and over and over. I mean, we never really split up," she told Vanity Fair in 2013. Could Ronan be Sinatra's, then? "Possibly," she told the interviewer.

Ronan is obviously aware of the speculation. "Listen, we're all *possibly* Frank Sinatra's son," he tweeted after his mother's interview. Allen himself knows there's a chance Ronan isn't his. "In my opinion, he's my child. I think he is, but I wouldn't bet my life on it," he told Vulture in 2018. Allen used the opportunity to take a jab at Farrow. "She represented herself as a faithful person, and she certainly wasn't," he said.

For all intents and purposes, Woody Allen is the father of Mia Farrow's ninth child. But that doesn't mean Allen and Ronan get along. The relationship between Allen and Farrow's children — his or not — has always been complicated. His own relationship with Farrow came crashing down when she found out he was having an affair with her daughter, Soon-Yi Previn, in 1992.

If that wasn't scandalous enough, Allen was also investigated the same year on allegations he had sexually abused his and Farrow's 7-year-old daughter, Dylan, which he has long denied. In 1993, the prosecutor opted not to pursue the case against Allen to avoid inflicting further trauma on Dylan, the New York Times reported. For both his father's alleged sexual assault against one sister and involvement with another, Ronan is estranged from Allen. Not only that, Ronan is also one of Allen's biggest critics.

When Allen received a lifetime achievement award at the 2014 Golden Globe ceremony, his son was one of the first to question the decision. "Missed the Woody Allen tribute," Ronan tweeted. "Did they put the part where a woman publicly confirmed he molested her at age 7 before or after 'Annie Hall?'" Ronan has also expressed his feelings regarding Allen's marriage to Soon-Yi. "Happy father's day — or as they call it in my family, happy brother-in-law's day," he tweeted in 2012. In September, Allen admitted to Variety he hasn't seen Ronan in a long time, though he's "always willing."

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).