The math is actually pretty straightforward, even if the history is anything but. If you're wondering how old is Woody Allen's wife, the answer today is 55. Soon-Yi Previn was born on October 8, 1970—at least according to the legal documents filed when she was a child.
She's now well into her fifties. Woody, meanwhile, turned 90 in late 2025. That puts a staggering 35-year gap between the two.
People still talk about it. They talk about it because the backstory is one of the most infamous scandals in Hollywood history. It wasn't just the age; it was the proximity. Soon-Yi was the adopted daughter of Mia Farrow, Woody’s long-term partner at the time. When the news broke in 1992, it didn't just make headlines—it basically broke the tabloid Richter scale.
The Foggy Origins of Soon-Yi Previn
One thing that complicates the "how old is she" question is that Soon-Yi’s exact birth date was never 100% certain. She was a "street child" in Seoul, South Korea. When she was found and eventually placed in an orphanage, authorities estimated her age.
A bone scan conducted around the time of her adoption in 1978 suggested she was between five and seven years old. The court eventually settled on the October 1970 date.
By the time she and Woody Allen started their "fling"—his word, not mine—she was a 21-year-old college student. He was 56.
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That 35-Year Age Gap in 2026
Fast forward to right now. The couple has been married since 1997. That is nearly three decades of marriage. In "Hollywood years," that’s basically an eternity.
- Soon-Yi Previn: 55 years old.
- Woody Allen: 90 years old.
- Years Married: 28 years (and counting).
Honestly, most people expected the relationship to flame out within months. Instead, they’ve outlasted almost every other couple that was on the red carpet in the late nineties.
Woody has often said the "dynamic worked" precisely because of the age difference. He once told an interviewer that he provided a "paternal" influence that she responded to, while she provided a sense of stability and "decisiveness" that he lacked. It's a weird way to put it, sure. But they seem to have found a groove that works for them.
Life on the Upper East Side
They aren't exactly hiding away in a bunker. You’ll still see them walking around Manhattan's Upper East Side. They have two daughters they adopted together, Bechet and Manzie. Both girls are now in their mid-twenties.
Soon-Yi has mostly stayed out of the spotlight, rarely giving interviews. When she does speak, it’s usually to defend Woody or to clarify that he was never a "father figure" to her growing up. She’s been very clear about that: she didn't really have a relationship with him until she was a young adult.
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According to her, they didn't even like each other much at first. He was just the guy who came over to see her mother and the younger kids. Everything changed when she got a soccer injury in high school and he started driving her to school and taking her to Knicks games.
Why the Age Controversy Still Persists
The public fascination with Soon-Yi's age usually stems from the "was she or wasn't she a child" debate. Critics of Woody Allen point to the fact that he was a presence in her life from the time she was about ten years old.
Even if they weren't "close," the power dynamic of a 50-something world-famous director and a 20-something college student who grew up in his orbit is... complicated.
But legally? She was an adult. The 35-year gap is legal, even if it remains a massive point of contention for those who follow the Allen-Farrow saga.
What This Means for Their Legacy
As Woody Allen enters his nineties, the focus on Soon-Yi often shifts toward her role as his primary caretaker and the "driver" of their household. In recent profiles, she’s described as the one who handles the social calendar, the finances, and the general discipline of the family.
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She isn't the "passive younger wife" some might imagine. By all accounts, she’s the one running the show now.
If you want to keep up with the latest on this family, the best thing to do is look at recent sightings in New York or Europe, where Woody still occasionally films or performs jazz. Their story is a reminder that in the world of celebrity, "strange" and "durable" are not mutually exclusive.
Key Takeaways for Your Timeline:
- Soon-Yi Previn is 55 years old as of 2026.
- The age difference between her and Woody Allen is 35 years.
- They have been married since December 1997.
- Their relationship began when she was 21 and he was 56.
Check the official birth records and court documents from the 1992 custody battle if you want to see the specific legal arguments regarding her age at the time. Most of those documents confirm the 1970 birth year was the accepted legal standard used during their marriage licensing.