Woody Allen’s adopted son has defended him against accusations that he molested his then-7-year-old adopted daughter in 1992. Moses Farrow told People magazine in an interview published Wednesday that Allen “of course” did not molest Moses’ younger sister, Dylan Farrow. Moses Farrow and Dylan Farrow were adopted by Allen and actress Mia Farrow. Dylan Farrow recently wrote an open letter to The New York Times saying she was abused and detailing what she says happened. New York Times public editor Margaret Sullivan, who had been critical of the Times’ handling of Dylan Farrow’s accusation, wrote in an online post Wednesday that Allen has requested the opportunity to submit a response to her letter. A spokesman for the Times confirmed that Allen’s request was granted. Mia Farrow’s accusation that Allen had molested Dylan Farrow came during a bitter custody fight. The couple broke up after Mia Farrow discovered that Allen was involved in a relationship with her oldest adopted daughter, Soon-Yi Previn. Allen, who has long maintained his innocence, was never charged with a crime.

The New York theater community mourned Philip Seymour Hoffman on Wednesday night with candles flickering outside a small downtown theater and with Broadway’s marquee lights dimmed in his honor, a sign of the celebrated actor’s broad love of the stage. A vigil and prayer meeting was held outside the 90-seat home of the LAByrinth Theatre Company, where Hoffman had long been a member. And at 7:45 p.m ., Broadway’s lights went dark for a minute. “We come together tonight in a spirit of terrible mourning and incredible loss,” the Rev. Jim Martin, a Jesuit priest and LAByrinth member, told about 200 people who stood in a chilly drizzle. “But we also come together to celebrate a remarkable life.” Hoffman, 46, who was found dead of a suspected drug overdose Sunday in his New York apartment, often chose dark, troubled characters to play, both onstage and in such films as Capote, The Master and Doubt. “Courage was his forte, always,” said playwright and actor Eric Bogosian, a longtime LAByrinth collaborator. “In this world of creative enterprise, it is ultimately up to the artists to decide how high a bar he or she will set for themselves. Phil set his bar on the highest rung, on a rung above the highest rung. He pushed himself relentlessly until finally his efforts virtually redefined the very endeavor we call acting. That’s what he wanted. He wanted to rock the world.”

Front Section, Pages 2 on 02/07/2014