Bryan Singer accused of sexually assaulting 17-year-old boy
Singer "categorically denies" allegation that he sexually assaulted Cesar Sanchez-Guzman in 2003
Bryan Singer, best known for directing The Usual Suspects and a number of X-Men films, has denied claims that he sexually assaulted a 17-year-old boy.
According to Deadline, Cesar Sanchez-Guzman is alleging that Singer assaulted him on a yacht in 2003.
Singer allegedly gave Sanchez-Guzman a tour of the yacht, before leading him to a secluded room and assaulting him.
“During this tour, Bryan Singer lured Cesar into a room, shut the door and demanded that Cesar perform oral sex,” a court filing reads. “When plaintiff refused, Bryan Singer forced him into acts of oral and anal sex.”
Sanchez-Guzman claims that Singer told him he could help get Sanchez-Guzman into acting, “as long as Cesar never said anything about the incident,” according to the filing.
“He then told Cesar that no one would believe him if he ever reported the incident, and that he could hire people who are capable of ruining someone’s reputation.”
The lawsuit claims that the yacht party was hosted by technology investor Leslie Waters, who, they say, “frequently hosted parties for young gay males in the Seattle area.” The age of consent in Washington state, where the incident allegedly occurred, is 16.
Sanchez-Guzman is suing for “emotional distress, mental anguish, physical and mental pain and suffering, [and] a decrease in his ability to enjoy life.”
In a statement, a representative said that Singer “categorically denies these allegations.”
“Cesar Sanchez-Guzman apparently claims that he did not remember this alleged incident from 2003 until now,” the representative said in a statement, adding, “Bryan categorically denies these allegations and will vehemently defend this lawsuit to the very end.”
News of the lawsuit comes after Singer was fired from the set of Bohemian Rhapsody, a biopic of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, for “unreliable behavior.” Reports suggested that Singer had fought with star Rami Malek, and hadn’t returned to the set after the Thanksgiving break.
Twentieth Century Fox had previously halted production “due to the unexpected unavailability of Bryan Singer,” after his representative claimed “a personal health matter concerning Bryan and his family.”
The studio then announced that Singer was fired, and had been replaced by Dexter Fletcher (Eddie the Eagle).
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