US firm to fight Woody Allen’s $10m lawsuit

A US clothing chain is fighting a multi-million-dollar lawsuit brought by Woody Allen by claiming it cannot have damaged his reputation as the director has already ruined it himself.

The filmmaker is seeking $10 million (e750,000) after American Apparel used his image on billboards and on the internet without his permission.

But lawyers for the retailer have countered that sex scandals involving Allen have meant that his name has already been damaged, notably by his affair with then-wife Mia Farrow’s adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn in 1992. Allen subsequently married Soon-Yi in 1997.

The billboards at the centre of the legal case went up last year in Hollywood and New York, but were taken down within a week, American Apparel said.

Allen, 73, is suing the company on the grounds that they falsely implied that he sponsored or endorsed the firm’s products.

A court date is set for May 18 in Manhattan.

But American Apparel looks set to turn the focus on Allen’s personal life.

The company’s lawyer Stuart Slotnick said: “Woody Allen expects $10m for use of his image on billboards that were up and down in less than one week. I think Woody Allen overestimates the value of his image.

“Certainly, our belief is that after the various sex scandals that Woody Allen has been associated with, corporate America’s desire to have Woody Allen endorse their product is not what he may believe it is.”