BAFTA will remove Bryan Singer's name from Bohemian Rhapsody nomination over sexual assault allegations


The British Academy of Film and Television Arts is distancing itself from Bryan Singer.
The organization that puts on the BAFTAs, the British equivalent of the Oscars, said Wednesday it has suspended Bryan Singer's nomination due to alleged behavior it describes as "completely unacceptable." Singer in a recent investigation published in The Atlantic was accused of sexually assaulting underage boys, allegations he has denied. Although he was fired from Bohemian Rhapsody during production, he is still the credited director on the film, which has seven nominations at Sunday's BAFTAs. Those nominations are not being revoked, but Singer's name has been removed.
The Academy says that the suspension "will remain in place until the outcome of the allegations has been resolved." The BAFTA voting period has already ended, so this step will not affect whether Bohemian Rhapsody wins any awards on Sunday.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

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.
This is the first major awards show this season to take action on Singer, with the Golden Globes previously handing out the top prize of Best Motion Picture - Drama to Bohemian Rhapsody. Although the Globes predated the Atlantic piece, Singer had already faced multiple sexual assault allegations prior to that article, including from a man who said Singer raped him when he was 17. Singer denied this allegation.
Bohemian Rhapsody also recently won the American Cinema Editors' award for Best Edited Feature Film – Dramatic, and it's nominated for Best Picture at the Oscars. The Hollywood Reporter writes that Singer will make $40 million from the film's success.
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
What to know before turning to AI for financial advice
the explainer It can help you crunch the numbers — but it might also pocket your data
-
Book reviews: 'The Headache: The Science of a Most Confounding Affliction—and a Search for Relief' and 'Tonight in Jungleland: The Making of Born to Run'
Feature The search for a headache cure and revisiting Springsteen's 'Born to Run' album on its 50th anniversary
-
Keith McNally' 6 favorite books that have ambitious characters
Feature The London-born restaurateur recommends works by Leo Tolstoy, John le Carré, and more
-
Florida erases rainbow crosswalk at Pulse nightclub
Speed Read The colorful crosswalk was outside the former LGBTQ nightclub where 49 people were killed in a 2016 shooting
-
Trump says Smithsonian too focused on slavery's ills
Speed Read The president would prefer the museum to highlight 'success,' 'brightness' and 'the future'
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, Stallone
Speed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's view
Speed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talk
Speed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'
Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
A long weekend in Zürich
The Week Recommends The vibrant Swiss city is far more than just a banking hub
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposes
speed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle