Bohemian Rhapsody director Bryan Singer faces new allegations of sexually abusing underage boys

Bohemian Rhapsody director Bryan Singer has been accused of sexual abuse by four more men in a massive new exposé.

The Atlantic published an investigation Wednesday on Singer's history of alleged misconduct that took 12 months to produce and included interviews with more than 50 people. The first of several new accusers is Victor Valdovinos, who says he was 13 when Singer, who was in his 30s, approached him in his school's bathroom while he was there filming the movie Apt Pupil. He says he was asked to be an extra and that on set, Singer molested him.

Another accuser, referred to under the pseudonym Andy, says he and Singer had sex when he was 15 and Singer was 31. Andy says Singer brought actor Brad Renfro into the bedroom. Renfro was 15 at the time, and two sources say Singer sometimes referred to him as his boyfriend. A third man, referred to as Eric, says he had sex with Singer beginning when he was 17 and Singer was 31.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Singer reportedly hosted parties that were frequently attended by underage boys, and one man, referred to as Ben, says that he and Singer had oral sex at one of the parties when Ben was 17 or 18, the latter of which is the age of consent in California. Singer "would stick his hands down your pants without your consent" at these parties, said Ben.

Singer has previously faced misconduct allegations, including a lawsuit from a man accusing him of rape, but he has continuously denied accusations of sex with underage boys and has not been charged with a crime. The Atlantic writes that 20th Century Fox had concerns about hiring him to direct Bohemian Rhapsody, but did so because members of Queen supported the decision. The studio ultimately fired Singer over reported erratic behavior on set, but he's still the credited director on the film, which was just nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. Brendan Morrow

Update 12 p.m. EST: Singer responded to The Atlantic's story in a statement, calling it a "homophobic smear piece" based on interviews with "disreputable" sources and "bogus lawsuits" seeking "money or attention." Read the full response here.