Woody Allen says he should be seen as a ‘poster boy’ for #MeToo movement

The director says he gets 'lumped in' with people who have been accused of abuse by several women

Director Woody Allen thinks that instead of being vilified by the #MeToo movement he should be a "poster boy" for it.

In an interview with Argentinian news show Periodismo Para Todos, Allen discussed his feelings about the movement against sexual misconduct and abuse in Hollywood.

"I’m a big advocate of the #MeToo movement," said the 82-year-old director on Monday. "I feel when they find people who harass innocent women and men, it’s a good thing that they’re exposing them."

Allen then added, "But you know I - I should be the poster boy for the #MeToo movement, because I have worked in movies for 50 years. I’ve worked with hundreds of actresses and not a single one - big ones, famous ones, ones starting out - have ever, ever suggested any kind of impropriety at all. I’ve always had a wonderful record with them."

In light of sexual abuse allegations from his adopted daughter Dylan Farrow, Hollywood actors and actresses including Mira Sorvino, Greta Gerwig and Michael Caine have decided not to work with Allen moving forward.

In 1993, Allen was accused of molesting Dylan at seven years old in their Connecticut home.

While the claims were investigated, a prosecutor didn't want to put Dylan through the difficulties of a trial, but the judge said Allen's behaviour towards his daughter was "grossly inappropriate," The New York Times reported.

Allen has continued to maintain his innocence since the claims surfaced 25 years ago.

He claimed that ex Mia Farrow was helping Dylan lie about the allegations in an act of vengeance against him for dating Mia's other adopted daughter Soon-Yi Previn, who he'd later marry.

"This is something that has been thoroughly looked at 25 years ago by all the authorities and everybody came to the conclusion that it was untrue," Allen said. "And that was the end and I’ve gone on with my life. For it to come back now, it’s a terrible thing to accuse a person of. I’m a man with a family and my own children. So, of course, it’s upsetting."

He continued to express his distress at being put in the category of serial abusers.

"If there is something like the #MeToo movement now, you root for them, you want them to bring to justice these terrible harassers, these people who do all these terrible things," he said. "And I think that’s a good thing. What bothers me is that I get linked with them. People who have been accused by 20 women, 50 women, 100 women of abuse and abuse and abuse - and I, who was only accused by one woman in a child custody case which was looked at and proven to be untrue, I get lumped in with these people."