News > Woody Allen Sues American Apparel

Nebbish auteur Woody Allen is suing clothing company American Apparel for the unauthorized use of his image in advertisements both online as well as on billboards back in May 2007. According to Variety, the $10 million suit claims that Allen "does not endorse commercial products or services in the United States" making the use of his image "especially egregious and damaging."

The billboard was composed of a still image from "Annie Hall" in which Allen's character Alvy Singer is dressed as a Hasidic Jew. The text that accompanied the image was a Yiddish phrase that translates to "the holy rebbe."

The lawsuit accuses American Apparel of "blatant misappropriation and commercial use of Allen's image" and notes that the company on its Web site promotes itself as one known for "provocative photography."

-David Morgan