Soon-Yi Previn
Encyclopedia
Soon-Yi Previn or Soon-Yi Farrow (born October 8, 1970) is an American actress and wife of film director
Woody Allen
.
, Soon-Yi was about eight years old when she was adopted by André Previn
and his then-wife, Mia Farrow
. Farrow and Woody Allen became a couple in 1980.
. The relationship began in late 1991 and became known to Farrow in January 1992.
The affair was covered by tabloids, focusing not only on her familial relation to Allen's long-time partner, her own adoptive mother, and to their children, but also the 34-year age difference between Previn and Allen.
Allen and Farrow's biological son, Ronan Farrow, said of Allen: "He's my father married to my sister. That makes me his son and his brother-in-law. That is such a moral transgression." Soon-Yi Previn said in 1992 that she does not, and never did, consider Woody Allen to be her father, stepfather, or father figure; she said she considers André Previn to be her adoptive father.
The couple married on December 24, 1997, in the Palazzo Cavalli
in Venice
, Italy. They have two adopted daughters, Bechet Dumaine Allen and Manzie Tio Allen, named after jazz
musicians (Sidney Bechet
, Manzie Johnson
and Lorenzo Tio, Jr).
in 1995 and a master's degree in special education
from Teachers College, Columbia University
in 1998. She has appeared in documentaries about Woody Allen and she has been a non-speaking, uncredited extra in two of his films.
In these two films, she was a non-speaking, uncredited extra:
Film director
A film director is a person who directs the actors and film crew in filmmaking. They control a film's artistic and dramatic nathan roach, while guiding the technical crew and actors.-Responsibilities:...
Woody Allen
Woody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
.
Early life and adoption
Born in South KoreaSouth Korea
The Republic of Korea , , is a sovereign state in East Asia, located on the southern portion of the Korean Peninsula. It is neighbored by the People's Republic of China to the west, Japan to the east, North Korea to the north, and the East China Sea and Republic of China to the south...
, Soon-Yi was about eight years old when she was adopted by André Previn
André Previn
André George Previn, KBE is an American pianist, conductor, and composer. He is considered one of the most versatile musicians in the world, and is the winner of four Academy Awards for his film work and ten Grammy Awards for his recordings. -Early Life:Previn was born in...
and his then-wife, Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow
Mia Farrow is an American actress, singer, humanitarian, and fashion model.Farrow first gained wide acclaim for her role as Allison Mackenzie in the soap opera Peyton Place, and for her subsequent short-lived marriage to Frank Sinatra...
. Farrow and Woody Allen became a couple in 1980.
Woody Allen
Previn gained international attention in 1992 when it was revealed that she was having a relationship with her own adoptive mother's long-time romantic partner, Woody AllenWoody Allen
Woody Allen is an American screenwriter, director, actor, comedian, jazz musician, author, and playwright. Allen's films draw heavily on literature, sexuality, philosophy, psychology, Jewish identity, and the history of cinema...
. The relationship began in late 1991 and became known to Farrow in January 1992.
The affair was covered by tabloids, focusing not only on her familial relation to Allen's long-time partner, her own adoptive mother, and to their children, but also the 34-year age difference between Previn and Allen.
Allen and Farrow's biological son, Ronan Farrow, said of Allen: "He's my father married to my sister. That makes me his son and his brother-in-law. That is such a moral transgression." Soon-Yi Previn said in 1992 that she does not, and never did, consider Woody Allen to be her father, stepfather, or father figure; she said she considers André Previn to be her adoptive father.
The couple married on December 24, 1997, in the Palazzo Cavalli
Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti
Palazzo Cavalli-Franchetti is a palace in Venice, Italy, not far from the Ponte dell'Accademia and next to the Palazzo Barbaro on the Grand Canal of Venice. Since 1999 it has been the seat of the Istituto Veneto di Scienze, Lettere e Arti and frequently houses cultural events.The palace was...
in Venice
Venice
Venice is a city in northern Italy which is renowned for the beauty of its setting, its architecture and its artworks. It is the capital of the Veneto region...
, Italy. They have two adopted daughters, Bechet Dumaine Allen and Manzie Tio Allen, named after jazz
Jazz
Jazz is a musical style that originated at the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States. It was born out of a mix of African and European music traditions. From its early development until the present, jazz has incorporated music from 19th and 20th...
musicians (Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet
Sidney Bechet was an American jazz saxophonist, clarinetist, and composer.He was one of the first important soloists in jazz , and was perhaps the first notable jazz saxophonist...
, Manzie Johnson
Manzie Johnson
Manzie Johnson was an American jazz drummer.Johnson was raised in New York, where he played piano and violin before switching to drums. He worked with Willie Gant's Ramblers , June Clark, Elmer Snowden, Joe Steele, Fats Waller, Jelly Roll Morton , James P...
and Lorenzo Tio, Jr).
Education
Previn received a bachelor's degree in art from Drew UniversityDrew University
Drew University is a private university located in Madison, New Jersey.Originally established as the Drew Theological Seminary in 1867, the university later expanded to include an undergraduate liberal arts college in 1928 and commenced a program of graduate studies in 1955...
in 1995 and a master's degree in special education
Special education
Special education is the education of students with special needs in a way that addresses the students' individual differences and needs. Ideally, this process involves the individually planned and systematically monitored arrangement of teaching procedures, adapted equipment and materials,...
from Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University
Teachers College, Columbia University is a graduate school of education located in New York City, New York...
in 1998. She has appeared in documentaries about Woody Allen and she has been a non-speaking, uncredited extra in two of his films.
Filmography
She appeared in these three documentaries:- Wild Man BluesWild Man BluesWild Man Blues is a 1998 documentary film directed by Barbara Kopple, about the musical avocation of actor/director/comic Woody Allen. The film takes its name from a jazz composition sometimes attributed to Jelly Roll Morton and sometimes to Louis Armstrong and recorded by both...
(1997) - Dennis Pennis R.I.P. (video) (1997)
- Seitenblicke (TV series documentary, May 20, 2008)
In these two films, she was a non-speaking, uncredited extra:
- Scenes from a MallScenes from a MallScenes from a Mall is a 1991 satirical film directed by Paul Mazursky with a screenplay by Roger L. Simon and Mazursky, starring Bette Midler and Woody Allen. Woody Allen's character, Nick, is married to author Deborah, played by Midler. After years of a happy marriage, Nick reveals to her he's had...
- Hannah and Her SistersHannah and Her SistersHannah and Her Sisters is a 1986 American comedy-drama film which tells the intertwined stories of an extended family over two years that begin and end with a family Thanksgiving dinner...