Bryan Singer, 'X-Men' Director, Accused of Rape By Teen Boy Michael F Egan III
Bryan Singer, the director of the X-Men movies and others, was accused of raping a teen boy, Michael F. Egan III, in 1998 and 1999, according to a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday. While Singer's attorney has categorically denied the allegations, Egan claims that Singer, who is openly gay, promised him a part in some of his high-grossing hit films.
Bryan Singer, 48, was accused of a pattern of sexual abuse involving Egan, who is now in his mid-30s but was only 17 when it began. The lawsuit, which was filed in U.S. District Court in Hawaii, also names Marc Collins-Rector, the former chairman of Digital Entertainment Network, who is a registered sex offender since pleading guilty to crimes with minors in 2004, according to Variety.
Egan's lawsuit doesn't name a specific amount for damages, but did say the abuse warranted over $75,000, the New York Daily News reported. Singer's attorney has already slammed the suit as "without merit" and accused Egan of waiting until virtually guaranteed blockbuster X-Men: Days of Future Past is about to be released May 23.
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"We are very confident that Bryan will be vindicated in this absurd and defamatory lawsuit," Singer's rep said. "It is obvious that this case was filed in an attempt to get publicity at the time when Bryan's new movie is about to open in a few weeks."
However, Egan's lawyer Jeff Herman gave another explanation for the timing of the lawsuit: the statute of limitations would have long expired by most states' standards, but Hawaii opened a two-year window for old sex abuse cases to be filed, and the provision expires next week.
In addition, the lawsuit details graphic allegations against Singer, most of which happened at an Encino, Calif. mansion and on extended trips to Hawaii.
While they were in a hot tub together during one incident, Singer gave Egan "an alcoholic beverage … and mentioned finding a role for him in an upcoming movie that he was directing," the suit reads, adding that the director "forced plaintiff's head underwater to make plaintiff perform oral sex upon him."
"Defendant Singer then forced plaintiff to continue performing oral sex upon him outside of the pool, and subsequently forcibly sodomized plaintiff," the lawsuit continued.
