'Bohemian Rhapsody' director accused of sexually assaulting minors

Bohemian Rhapsody director, Bryan Singer has been accused by four men of sexually harassing them when they were underage between 1997 and 1999.

In a report published in the Atlantic, the alleged assaults took place in California. Singer is also known for directing films like X-Men, X2, and The Usual Suspects.

The Atlantic’s report details the Hollywood circles Singer was reportedly part of during the late ’90s, the boys he met and parties he threw during that time period, the allegations of sexual assault of underage boys, and an alleged pattern of abuse that wrecked the accusers’ lives.

Singer’s lawyer Andrew Brettler denied the allegations against his client, stating to French and Potter that Singer has never been arrested or convicted of any crime and that he categorically denies ever having sex with, or a preference for, underage men.

Singer, through his lawyer, told Vox the story is a “homophobic smear piece [that] has been conveniently timed to take advantage of [Bohemian Rhapsody’s] success” and that it was written by “a homophobic journalist who has a bizarre obsession with me dating back to 1997.”

French and Potter tell the stories of four men who had previously never spoken publicly about their allegations against Singer.

These are not the first allegations of sexual misconduct that have surfaced against Singer.

In 2014, two men filed lawsuits against Singer accusing him of sexually assaulting them while they were underage. Those lawsuits were later dismissed.

Then in 2017, Singer denied accusations by Cesar Sanchez-Guzman, a 31-year-old man from Washington, who filed a lawsuit saying that Singer raped him when he was 17, on a yacht sailing from Lake Union to Lake Washington in Seattle.

And in October 2018, Singer posted a message on Instagram warning of a “negative article” from Esquire about him and implied that it was a publicity-seeking opportunity timed to the release of Bohemian Rhapsody, which came out on November 2.

According to Hollywood Reporter, Singer was fired from the project in December 2017, a few weeks before filming ended, after he clashed with star Rami Malek and disappeared from the set. Singer said his absence was due to wanting to care for a sick parent. Because of Directors Guild of America rules, only one director or team can be credited for directing a film, and Singer remains the sole credited director for Bohemian Rhapsody.

Singer, in a statement made through his lawyer, called into question the credibility of the writers, accusers, and editors.

"The last time I posted about this subject, Esquire magazine was preparing to publish an article written by a homophobic journalist who has a bizarre obsession with me dating back to 1997," he said.

"After careful fact-checking and, in consideration of the lack of credible sources, Esquire chose not to publish this piece of vendetta journalism. That didn’t stop this writer from selling it to The Atlantic. It’s sad that The Atlantic would stoop to this low standard of journalistic integrity," continued Singer. "Again, I am forced to reiterate that this story rehashes claims from bogus lawsuits filed by a disreputable cast of individuals willing to lie for money or attention. And it is no surprise that, with Bohemian Rhapsody being an award-winning hit, this homophobic smear piece has been conveniently timed to take advantage of its success."

Singer has not been involved in promoting Bohemian Rhapsody on the awards circuit. The movie was nominated for the Oscar for Best Picture on January 22, and its star Malek was nominated for Best Actor. It previously won Best Drama at the Golden Globes.

Also on January 22, Malek distanced himself from Singer, telling People that he “was not aware of” any allegations against Singer before working on Bohemian Rhapsody.

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