Following the latest allegations of sexual misconduct against director Bryan Singer, The GLAAD Media Awards has reportedly removed Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody (2018) from its nominee list for this year’s Best Original Film.
In a statement made to Variety, GLAAD admitted while it was a difficult decision to make, they decided to stand with the alleged sexual-assault victims.
Singer, 53, has a history of fighting allegations. He denied four accusations reported by The Atlantic in an in-depth exposé published earlier this week. It gruesomely detailed the sex crimes he allegedly committed against boys as young as 13 years old while directing some of his earlier films.
Towards the end of filming, Singer was ejected from Bohemian Rhapsody due to another round of allegations. He was replaced by director Dexter Fletcher.
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GLAAD stated to Variety that Singer wrongfully defended himself by using homophobia to “deflect” the allegations.
“Bohemian Rhapsody brought the story of LGBTQ icon Freddie Mercury to audiences around the world,” the media organization said. “Many of whom never saw an out and proud lead character in a film, or the impact of HIV and AIDS in fair and accurate ways.”
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“The team that worked so hard on the legacy of Freddie Mercury deserve so much more than to be tainted in this way,” they added.
While GLAAD admitted Bohemian Rhapsody was an undeniably “impactful” film, they stated that they will “not be silent” and “stand” for all survivors of sexual assault and LGBTQ communities — hence why they dropped the film.
“This week’s story brought light a reality that cannot be ignored, or even tacitly rewarded,” GLAAD said in reference to The Atlantic’s viral exposé.
GLAAD has consistently urged the film industry to listen up and take responsibility for victims of these heinous crimes. “The industry cannot let those who perpetuate harms against anyone go unnoticed or unchecked any longer,” they concluded.
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Allegations against Singer date all the way back to 1997, when he was accused of sexual misconduct by a 14-year-old boy during the production of his silver-screen take on Stephen King’s Apt Pupil (1998).
He reportedly had the extra film nude during a shower scene. The boy allegedly had only a towel around his waist and claimed that Singer would “check in on him” frequently and even reached under the towel to “masturbate” him.
A lawsuit was eventually filed after two other individuals came forward with the same claims. It was dismissed shortly after due to lack of evidence.
These accusations were explored deeper in The Atlantic’s piece which quickly broke the internet.
“It’s sad that The Atlantic would stoop to this low standard of journalistic integrity,” said Singer in defence. “Again, I am forced to reiterate that this story rehashes claims from bogus lawsuits filed by a disreputable cast of individuals willing to lie for money or attention.”
Singer is currently working as executive producer on television series, The Gifted.
READ MORE: ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ cast members reveal how they transformed into Queen
Additionally, Time’s Up — the movement against sexual harassment in Hollywood — issued a statement on Thursday afternoon in response to Singer’s alleged crimes. It stirred up a lot of buzz online.
“The recent allegations regarding Bryan Singer’s behavior are horrifying and must be taken seriously and investigated,” they wrote in the viral tweet.
As of this writing, no investigation has been launched into the matters surrounding Singer’s alleged actions.
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