Twiggy recalls ’embarrassing’ interview with Woody Allen as a teenage model – as she reflects on the ‘dark side’ of the ’60s

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Known for her slim build, short hair, and natural fashion sense, she became a symbol of a changing Britain, representing the country’s move from the difficulties of the 1950s to the more optimistic and consumer-driven 1960s.

Twiggy, often considered Britain’s first supermodel, became famous as the ‘face of ’66’ at only 16 years old. However, she says the decade that launched her career also presented many challenges.

1967 was a peak year for the vibrant culture of the sixties, marked by the release of Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band and the famous ‘Summer of Love.’ It was during this time that a promising new fashion figure gave a now-infamous interview with Woody Allen.

When comedy icon Allen interviewed a young Twiggy – whose real name is Lesley Hornby – she was only 17 and new to the United States. She didn’t realize Allen planned to jokingly portray her as naive, playing into common assumptions about models.

In the interview, a puzzled Twiggy is asked to name her favorite philosopher by the 31-year-old actor-director, who remains out of view as she struggles to come up with an answer.

‘I haven’t got one,’ she tells him. ‘Who’s yours?’ 

When Allen quickly says he likes ‘all of them,’ she immediately challenges him, asking, ‘Who are you talking about? I don’t even know who they are – what are their names?’

Twiggy, now 76, recently told The Telegraph that she quickly set a journalist straight. By that point, she’d given countless interviews and was accustomed to being asked predictable questions like how she got her nickname and what her diet was.

I just sat there, expecting him to ask me a typical question, like what I thought about America.

I vividly remember the awkwardness of his first question – “Who’s your favorite philosopher?” We were on live television, and I hadn’t studied any philosophy at all, so I was completely embarrassed.

When I asked “Who’s yours?”, I was actually begging him for help, but he refused.

The experienced model explained that this interaction highlights the sexism young women faced in the 1960s, especially those working in the public eye.

Significantly, it also indicates a change in attitude over recent years.   

She believes models are now treated much better, likely due to the scandals that came to light a few years ago.

I don’t work as a model every day, so I’m not very familiar with how the industry currently operates.

The internet has completely revolutionized things. With the recent Burberry campaign, instead of limiting exposure to a single magazine, I immediately received feedback from people in Japan, America, and Australia after its launch.

This is great for the industry, as it allows access to a much wider range of customers and markets than before.

I’ll never forget interviewing Allen back in 2025. He was clearly trying to make me feel foolish, and it really hit me hard – my heart just sank. I vividly remember looking at him, desperately hoping he’d just stop, pleading with him through my eyes.

At his age, in my thirties, I would never have acted that way towards a seventeen-year-old.

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2026-02-17 14:52