X-Men director Bryan Singer says sexual abuse allegations are 'outrageous, vicious, and completely false'
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Last week, X-Men: Days of Future Past director Bryan Singer was accused of drugging and raping a teenage boy on multiple occasions, in a series of abuses that reportedly first began in 1998. Singer's lawyer has since issued a statement denying the validity of the accusation, but Singer himself hadn't spoke publicly — until today, when he personally denied the charges and revealed that he'll be dropping out of the promotional campaign for the X-Men sequel.
"The allegations against me are outrageous, vicious, and completely false," said Singer in a statement. "I do not want these fictitious claims to divert ANY attention from X-Men: Days of Future Past. This fantastic film is a labor of love and one of the greatest experiences of my career. So, out of respect to all of the extraordinary contributions from the incredibly talented actors and crew involved, I've decided not to participate in the upcoming media events for the film. However, I promise when this situation is over, the facts will show this to be the sick twisted shakedown it is. I want to thank fans, friends and family for all their amazing and overwhelming support."
Since making his initial allegations against Singer, accuser Michael Egan has also filed additional lawsuits alleging sexual abuse by three other Hollywood executives: Garth Ancier, Gary Goddard, and David Neuman.
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Scott Meslow is the entertainment editor for TheWeek.com. He has written about film and television at publications including The Atlantic, POLITICO Magazine, and Vulture.