Accusations that Bryan Singer raped more underage boys has been met with silence from the Hollywood community, one year after its biggest stars loudly pledged to take a stand against sexual misconduct of any kind.
In the 24 hours after four new men came forward claiming they were raped or molested by the director there has been no comment from any of the A-list stars who worked with Singer on the X-Men franchise while Rami Malek did his best to avoid comment.
He did admit to the Los Angeles Times that he secured the role of Freddy Mercury in Bohemian Rhapsody a year before Singer came on board, and said the allegations ‘were, believe it or not, honestly something I was not aware of, and that is what it is.’
The Atlantic published the expose one day after Oscar voters awarded the director’s latest film, Bohemian Rhapsody, with five Oscar nominations.
Singer is also still set to be paid $10 million to direct the upcoming film Red Sonja, whose title character is survivor of sexual abuse.
Meanwhile, the writers revealed that they took the story to The Atlantic after it was killed by Hearst executives, despite having been approved for publication by the company’s lawyers.
Hearst did not respond to a request for comment.
Tim’s up?: Hollywood stars and studios have said nothing after a shocking expose about X-Men director Bryan Singer (above in December) that detailed new allegations of underage rape
Silent film stars: ‘With Bohemian Rhapsody being an award-winning hit, this homophobic smear piece has been conveniently timed to take advantage of its success,’ said Singer(above with Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh Jackman and Michael Fassbender in 2015)
Anyway the wind blows: Bohemian Rhapsody star Rami Malek claimed that the allegations ‘were, believe it or not, honestly something I was not aware of, and that is what it is’ (Singer and Malek above on the set of Rhapsody with Ben Hardy and Queen drummer Roger Taylor)
Writers Maximillian Potter and Alex French released a statement about the expose on Wednesday.
‘We have been asked why a story reported and written by two Esquire writers is being published in The Atlantic,’ it read.
‘This story began with our editors at Esquire. After months of reporting, this story went through Esquire’s editorial process, which included fact-checking and vetting by a Hearst attorney, and the story was approved for publication.’
The men then added: ‘The story was then killed by Hearst executives. We do not know why.’
Four new men have come forward to share their stories, which are remarkably similar to those shared by a number of men in the past.
The youngest accuser claims that he was just 13 when Singer molested him on a film set, while others recount being plied with drugs and alcohol before being led to a bedroom by the director.
That youngest victim said that as he watched the Harvey Weinstein scandal unfold, he started to thing: ‘Me too—only I was a kid.’
Among the men speaking out is Victor Valdovinos, who claims that he was 13 when Singer, then in his 30s, molested him on the set of Apt Pupil.
Him too: A British John Doe (above) who claims Singer raped him in London
He claims that Singer first approached him in a bathroom at his school, and then asked him to be in the film.
Valdovinos arrived on the set the next day only to be told to strip, put on a towel and then hidden away in a room.
‘I’m hanging out. All of a sudden, Bryan comes in. He goes, ‘”Hey! How are you?” Real cheerful. And I’m like, “Hi,”‘ said Valdovinos.
‘I can’t remember his exact words, but he was kind of just saying “Come back here.” He kind of directs me; he kind of grabs me; and he takes us to the back area, which was kind of closed off. ‘
He went on to say: ‘I was back here, in the towel, with no shirt and no clothes on, sitting on one of the locker-room benches. Bryan’s like, “Just hang out here. It’s going to be all day. Don’t worry.”‘
Singer allegedly paid multiple visits to the seventh-grade student throughout the day.
‘Every time he had a chance – three times – he would go back there;’ claimed Valdoinos.
‘He was always touching my chest.’
Then, at one point, Singer allegedly ‘grabbed my genitals and started masturbating it’ and then ‘rubbed his front part on me,.’
Valdoinos said: ‘He did it all with this smile.’
He also allegedly told the boy: ‘You’re so good-looking … I really want to work with you … I have a nice Ferrari … I’m going to take care of you.’
Valdoinos said he was ‘frozen speechless,’ and alleged that Singer returned three times throughout the day.
Within a few years he was a father after getting his teenage girlfriend pregnant, and went from being an Honor’s student to failing his classes.
He dropped out, was arrested on battery and drug possession charges, and eventually served time in prison.
‘What if he never did this to me—would I be a different person? Would I be more successful? Would I be married?’ wondered Valdoinos.
Alleged victim: One of the accusers alleged that Singer had a relationship with the late actor Brad Renfro (left in Singer’s 1998 film Apt Pupil), right being arrested for trying to purchase heroin in 2005)
Firing back: Singer has denied all allegations of rape, molestation, or engaging in inappropriate contact with a minor (Singer above with former lover Bret Tyler)
The allegations against Singer were first reported back in 2014 when Michael Egan (above) accused the director of rape.
Another accuser, who did not want to use his real name, said he was kicked out of his home at 16 because he was gay, and that was how he came to meet Singer.
They made out once when he was 16 said the accuser, who also alleged that the pair had oral sex when he was 17 or 18 at one of Singer’s parties.
‘He would stick his hands down your pants without your consent,’ he claimed.
‘He was predatory in that he would ply people with alcohol and drugs and then have sex with them.’
Another accuser, referred to as Andy, said he came to meet Singer after he was allegedly raped by Marc Collins-Rector multiple times.
That all started when Andy was just 14, and he claims that was soon being flown on private planes to see Rector from his home in Las Vegas.
He met Singer at a party while the director was with Brad Renfro, who passed away in 2008 at the age of 25 from a heroin overdose.
The three men went to a room, where Andy alleges he was raped by Singer.
‘Bryan knew I was 15,’ said Andy.
‘I remember wanting Brad to join in. I don’t think Brad was gay, or even bi. I think he was going with the flow. We talked about it. Like me, he looked around at all of the things these guys had, all of the money. Maybe he thought the guys were going to do things for him.’
He also claimed that Singer did not try and hide what as happening in the room.
‘I just remember how loud the moaning was. I remember thinking, God, there’s a big group of people downstairs hanging out in the living room, and they can probably hear him,’ aid Andy.
‘That bothered me, so I stuck my hand over his mouth or in his mouth just to stop it. When we went downstairs, it was really awkward. I just acted like it was no big thing.’
This happened a few more times he claimed, and a few years later Singer allegedly lost interest in Andy.
He began to abuse drugs, and would come to call on Singer for money at times.
Andy eventually checked into court-ordered rehab however and has now been clean for two years.
‘I sort of wonder, if I’d never met Marc and then Bryan, if I would have ever got into the drugs,’ said Andy.
No idea: The producers and actors who worked on Bohemian Rhapsody claim that they were unaware of the allegations against Singer (cast and crew above accepting the Golden Globe for Best Picture)
Accuser: Victor Valdovinos (above) claims that he was 13 when Singer, then in his 30s, molested him on the set of Apt Pupil
Eric, who also asked that his name be withheld, alleged that he was just 17 when he had sex with a 31-year-old Singer.
He claimed that Singer was surrounded by two types of young men.
‘If you weren’t young and cute enough to be their boy, you could still ingratiate yourself by bringing boys to them,’ he said of Singer and his cohorts.
They had a sexual relationship for five years according to Eric, until Singer lost interest in him.
‘I never want people to think of me as a victim, so I always put up the front of “I’m good. I was in charge,”‘ said Eric.
‘But I spent a decade in therapy trying to figure out if what happened was bad or not bad. And if it was bad, was it my fault? What I’ve decided is that adults are supposed to look out for kids.’
He also said that he is now in Alcoholic’s Anonymous, where he allegedly runs into a number of Singer’s former boys.
‘There’s a bunch of us’ he said.
‘It’s like, “You were one of Singer’s boys? Me too.”‘
Singer has been aware for months that a story was in the works, and managed to previously kill an Esquire expose.
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,’ aid Singer.
‘After careful fact-checking and, in consideration of the lack of credible sources, Esquire chose not to publish this piece of vendetta journalism.’
He then wet on to call the story of homophobic.
‘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,’ said 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.’
Gabe Hoffman of An Open Secret also responded to the allegations, telling DailyMail.com: ‘In October 2018, after Bryan Singer’s false attack on Alex and Max’s work – I personally offered to buy, insure, and bankroll the story if Esquire ever did not want it. That is the level of confidence I have in the accuracy of their journalism.
‘Bryan Singer resorts to false homophobic slurs in his response – because he has absolutely no defense for his crimes upon children in Hollywood. Singer knows that his career is finished – Millennium will have no choice but to drop him very soon from Red Sonja.’