X-Men director Bryan Singer, who last week was fired for failing to show up on the set of his Freddie Mercury biopic, Bohemian Rhapsody, has been accused of sexually assaulting a then–17-year-old boy in a lawsuit filed by Cesar Sanchez-Guzman. (Singer’s representatives have said his absence was due to “a personal health matter.”)
Sanchez-Guzman is claiming damages for “childhood sexual abuse,” accusing Singer of forcing him into oral and anal sex during a yacht party for young gay males thrown by tech investor Lester Waters back in 2003. The lawsuit alleges that Singer—who would have been 37 at the time—offered to give 17-year-old Sanchez-Guzman a tour of the yacht, but once alone, forced him to the floor and demanded oral sex.
“Bryan Singer pulled out his penis, smacked Cesar in the face with it and forced it into Cesar’s mouth,” says the claim. “Cesar pleaded with him to stop, however he continued to force Cesar to perform oral sex, causing Cesar to choke.” Sanchez-Guzman claims that Singer then performed oral sex on him before anally penetrating him while Sanchez-Guzman pleaded for him stop.
The lawsuit claims that Singer later told Sanchez-Guzman that he would help him get into acting as long as he didn’t say anything about the incident. He also allegedly threatened the young man, telling him he could ruin his reputation if he spoke up.
Singer has denied the allegations to the New York Times, with a representative saying he will fight the lawsuit as well as countersuing for malicious prosecution. His lawyer also spoke to TMZ, pointing out that the lawsuit was filed by Jeff Herman, the same lawyer who represented Michael Egan in a similar 2014 lawsuit that was later dropped.
