"X-Men: Days of Future Past" director Bryan Singer is being accused of sexually abusing a teenage boy in 1999, according to a lawsuit filed Wednesday in Hawaii federal court.
The New York Daily News reported that a former child model and aspiring actor is accusing Singer of sexually abusing him as a teenager. Documents stated that Singer forced Michael Egan III into sex during parties in California and Hawaii when he was 17.
Egan's lawyers, led by Jeff Herman, stated that Singer threaten to destroy his career if he did not fulfill certain sexual demands. Herman has made a career of representing victims of sex abuse, filing lawsuits against organizations such as the Roman Catholic Church and Boy Scouts of America.
The lawsuit claims that Singer forced the man to inhale cocaine and raped him at one of his "sordid parties." At one time, Singer reportedly pushed Egan into a swimming pool, held his head underwater and repeatedly raped him.
"Hollywood has a problem with the sexual exploitation of children," Herman said. "This is the first of many cases I will be filing to give these victims a voice and to expose the issue."
Egan claims in the suit that he never "freely, voluntarily and knowingly consented to these sexual interactions, and often resisted them." The lawsuit claims battery, assault, intentional infliction of emotional distress and invasion of privacy by unreasonable intrusion, and it seeks unspecified damages.
Singer "manipulated his power, wealth, and position in the entertainment industry to sexually abuse and exploit the underage Plaintiff through the use of drugs, alcohol, threats and inducements which resulted in Plaintiff suffering catastrophic psychological and emotional injuries," the complaint alleged.
Singer's lawyer, Marty Singer, who is not related to the director, said the accusations were "completely without merit" and that "We are very confident that Bryan will be vindicated in this absurd and defamatory lawsuit. It is obvious that this case was filed in an attempt to get publicity at the time when Bryan' s new movie is about to open in a few weeks."
Singer, who has directed two installments of the "X-Men" film franchise and a Superman movie in the past 15 years, has become one of Hollywood's most successful directors and producers. His next movie "X-Men: Days of Future Past" is set for release May 23. It features an all-star cast, including Jennifer Lawrence, Hugh Jackman, Michael Fassbender, Halle Berry and Patrick Stewart.
