Hollywood Director Bryan Singer Has Been Accused Of Decades Of Pedophilia In Explosive Report
Bryan Singer recently signed to direct 'Red Sonja', an adaptation of a comic book where the protagonist is a survivor of sexual assault.
Warning: this article discusses child and sexual abuse.
An explosive feature published by The Atlantic details a series of pedophilia allegations levelled against fired Bohemian Rhapsody director Bryan Singer, dating back to Singer’s career beginnings in the ’90s. It follows several public allegations in recent years, and Fox’s decision to fire Singer mid-way through production of Bohemian Rhapsody.
In the feature, journalists Alex French and Maximillian Potter detail that they spoke to more than 50 sources over twelve months, including victims who wished to remain anonymous lest it impacts their career or life. Rumours and legal allegations of child abuse have followed Singer since 1997, which he has vehemently denied and fought against. The article details four new allegations in harrowing detail.
“Some of the alleged victims say they were seduced by the director while underage; others say they were raped,” they write. “The victims we interviewed told us these experiences left them psychologically damaged, with substance-abuse problems, depression, and PTSD.”
Singer is a powerful man in Hollywood, having directed blockbusters like the X-Men films and Superman Returns, and been involved in several production studios. What emerges in The Altantic‘s story is a portrait of Singer as a serial predator of underage men as young as 14, who uses his position of power for abuse and gleefully, in one version of events, tells victims ‘no one will ever believe you’.
It’s also alleged that the industry enabled Singer and other abusers for decades, either by turning a blind eye or directly ‘offering’ boys in a sex ring.
The new allegations begin in 1997, with a then-14-year-old extra Victor Valdovinos on Singer’s film Apt Pupil alleging that the director cast him after meeting at a urinal. The film was subject to a series of lawsuits against Singer and the production relating to a school shower scene in which underage boys say they were coerced into filming naked.
The lawsuits were dismissed. Valdovinos alleges he was on-set during these scenes, and was physically isolated from the crew and cast by Singer, waiting around in just a towel for hours in a secluded space before Singer came and molested him.
What also emerges is a series of similar allegations surrounding LA parties in the late ’90s and early ’00s, where Singer and several other producers and executives would invite underage boys and essentially trade them around for sexual favours.
In the late ’90s, Singer became a financial backer of new production studio DEN, which featured many underage boys on its payroll — a federal investigation in the ’00s found that the company’s mansion was, in the article’s words, “a party house where teenage boys were allegedly given alcohol and drugs, encouraged to have sex with older men, and in some cases raped”.
One victim, who is referred to as Andy, alleges that many boys were ‘brought’ to Singer by others trying to ingrate themselves and gain career clout, if they weren’t young enough themselves to be considered attractive. “I was passed around like a party favour,” he says. Similar stories circulate long after DEN dissolved amid abuse lawsuits in the early ’00s.
The article also details how Singer has continually avoided legal action, as lawsuits bought against DEN members didn’t mention him or later allegations in 2014 fell apart due to the accuser, Michael Egan, being painted as a conman due to his own ponzi scheme. It also depicts Singer as pained by Egan’s 2014 allegations as well as a current lawsuit underway by Cesar Sanchez-Guzman, who alleges Singer raped him in 2003, when he was 17. This stress apparently led to his erratic and violent behaviour on-set of Bohemian Rhapsody, which saw him fired.
Singer was recently signed for a reported US$10 million to direct Red Sonja, an adaptation of a comic book where the protagonist is a survivor of sexual assault. You can read the full feature here.
If you or someone you know is impacted by sexual assault, domestic or family violence call 1800RESPECT on 1800 737 732 or visit 1800RESPECT.org.au. In an emergency, call 000.
Men can access anonymous confidential telephone counselling to help to stop using violent and controlling behaviour through the Men’s Referral Service on 1300 766 491.