WOODY ALLEN - WOODY ALLEN WINS $5-MILLION SETTLEMENT

WOODY ALLEN WINS $5-MILLION SETTLEMENT

American Apparel has agreed to pay Woody Allen $5 million to settle his lawsuit against the company for using his image in advertisements without his consent. Appearing outside the courthouse where his $10-million suit was scheduled to begin on Monday, Allen remarked, "I am told the settlement of $5 million I am being paid is the largest amount ever paid under the New York right to privacy law." In a prepared statement distributed to reporters, Allen said, "American Apparel calculatingly took my name, my likeness, and image and used them publicly to promote their business." Referring to reports that the clothing company planned to call witnesses to testify about Allen's personal life in order to prove its claim that Allen's reputation could not be harmed by use of the photos," Allen said, "Threats and press leaks by American Apparel designed to smear me did not work and a scheme to call a long list of witnesses who had nothing to do with the case was disallowed by the court. I hope this very large settlement will discourage American Apparel and others from doing this type of thing to myself or others in the future."

19/05/2009