For years we’ve thought that Bryan Singer was gay, but it turns out that was more a category of convenience for the director, as in an Out profile he says that actually he’s more bisexual.

He says that after first seeing his gay status in print for the first time (he never actually had a big ‘coming out’ moment), “I was like, Oh, OK. That was easy. I came out by osmosis.”

However when the magazine follows up by asking whether life is any different in Hollywood for a ‘gay director’, he’s ready to set the record straight. “I’m quite bisexual,” he says. “In the last five years, I’ve had two girlfriends — one for two years, one for eight months.”

That said, “In the end, it’s probably going to be a guy [he ends up with]. I emotionally lean towards male relationships, so I’m happy to say I’m gay, too, if it’s a one-syllable, easy answer.

“If you look at the Kinsey Report, human sexuality is so complex.

“And the reason I’ve never talked about it to the press — until now — is because sexuality is so complex. To have a real conversation about it, you really want to have the person you’re talking to in front of you.

“I’ve never felt the need to be declarative. My sexuality is not what is tearing me up inside.”

The interview took place before the sexual assault lawsuit against Singer erupted, and having backed out of all press for X-Men: Days Of Future Past he has decided not to add any extra comment to Out, beyond the strong denial he made last month.

In related news, Buzzfeed reports that in a previous lawsuit, Singer’s first accuser, Michael F. Egan, denied having ever been to Hawaii – the state he says many of the main abuses he complains of took place (which is important as the lawsuit was filed there due to an extension on the statute of limitations).

In his 2003 sexual abuse suit against Marc Collins-Rector, Chad Shackley and Brock Pierce (the men who owned the estates the events involving Singer are supposed to have taken place at) he was ‘Asked during the deposition whether he had taken any trips outside the continental United States, Egan replied, “Never had any trips outside the continental U.S., no.” Egan then responds to a question specifically clarifying that he had never traveled to Hawaii.’

Egan’s lawyer seems aware of this discrepancy, responding, “I’m not sure how he interpreted the continental United States. I’m not sure what he’s talking about specifically here.”

With Singer’s lawyer saying there’s is documentation proving Singer was in Canada at the time the allegations are supposed to have taken place, and Egan on the record saying he’d never been to Hawaii at that time, it’s becoming an increasingly tough case for the accuser to win. If it can’t be reliably proven both Egan and Singer even went to Hawaii in 1999, then it’s unlikely there’d be a legally permissible case to answer. [Read more…]

As many had expected after Michael F. Egan sued Bryan Singer claiming sex abuse (and as his lawyer promised), other accusers have emerged – whether they have valid claims or not. Now a new suit has been filed against the X-Men director, this time from a British man who also names writer/producer Gary Goddard.

THR reports that Goddard first got to know the accuser via social media in 2003 when he was 14. That resulted in nude webcam sessions when he was 15. The young man then alleges that when they were 15 they they lay in bed naked together in a London hotel room, and they had sex when he was 16.

Singer is brought into the suit as it’s alleged that he ‘had sex with the plaintiff at a Superman after afterparty in a London hotel room when the plaintiff was 17… The boy resisted, the suit continues, but Goddard brought in a “large, musclebound man” who smacked the teenager around, holding him while Singer grabbed him and Goddard, naked on the bed, watched. Singer then allegedly attempted to rape the plaintiff.’

Both Goddard and Singer have strenuously denied the claim. Singer’s lawyer issued a statement saying, ‘After the substance of (attorney Jeff Herman’s) previous defamatory and fabricated filing in Hawaii was disproved based on unassailable evidence, Mr. Herman’s desperation has led him to fabricate these new anonymous accusations against Mr. Singer, which we will also prove to be completely false.’

Goddard’s lawyer meanwhile adds, ‘It is a sad indictment on society that when once spurious claims making false, serious and highly damaging allegations have been made – especially where compensation is sought – that other similar claims may follow. The allegations made against Mr. Goddard are vehemently denied and will be vigorously defended at any trial of these matters and Mr. Goddard is entirely confident that he will be fully vindicated.’

There is an oddity surrounding the suit though, as while all the events took place in the UK, it’s being filed in California. Part of the reason is that it would be impossible to prosecute most of the consensual acts in the UK, as the age of consent is 16 in Britain. However the lawsuit alleges that ‘the California age of consent, 18, should apply because Singer and Goddard allegedly formulated their sexual plans regarding the teen while in California. In addition, the federal age, also 18, assertedly applies to travel from the U.S. for sexual purposes.’

It’s also true that the lawsuit seeks only a monetary award, while in the UK it’s difficult to launch a civil case that doesn’t involve criminal charges having been filed in any way (where both in Britain and the US, the burden of proof is much higher).

After the news yesterday that 31-year-old Michael F. Egan III has filed a suit accusing X-Men director Bryan Singer of raping him when he was underage in 1999, it’s been revealed that Egan filed a previous suit over sex abuse allegations in 2000, but didn’t name Singer at the time.

Many had wondered why, when so many of the accusations in the new lawsuit involve two men called Marc Collins-Rector and Chad Shackley (and Singer was not present for numerous incidents included in the suit), they were not named as defendants. It seems the reason is that they were subject to a lawsuit in 2000, much of which revolves around the same or similar events that Singer’s name has now become involved with. THR dug out the old case but wasn’t immediately able to discover what the outcome was.

Collins-Rector and Shackley ran an early internet content company called DEN networks and apparently knew aspiring teenage actor Egan due to the fact Shackley’s younger brother Scott was in Egan’s high-school class.

While some of the allegations in the new suit are the same as the old one, they don’t include the 1999 party in Hawaii that is now at the centre of the new case. It is there that Singer is said to have given Egan drugs and alcohol, held his head underwater to force oral sex and repeatedly raped him.

Egan and his lawyer, Jeff Herman, held a press conference yesterday, where Egan claimed, “I was raped numerous times in that house [Collins-Rector & Shackley’s], by numerous individuals. You were like a piece of meat to these people.”

He also said it was reported to the police when he was 17 but it “basically fell on deaf ears.”

When THR brought the previous lawsuit to the attention of Herman, his publicist said, “From what I understand, Michael had previously disclosed the allegations against Bryan Singer, and questions about the previous lawsuit involving the DEN people should be directed to the lawyer involved in that suit.”

Singer’s lawyer, Marty Singer, responded to the latest developments, including the press conference, by saying, “The claims made today about Bryan Singer are completely fabricated. We look forward to our bringing a claim for malicious prosecution against Mr. Egan and his attorney after we prevail. It is obvious that plaintiff’s attorney is not looking to litigate the case on its merits. This matter is nothing more than the attorney seeking to get his 15 minutes of fame by sending out a press release with his ‘media consultant’ yesterday and following up with a press conference today. Attorneys who try cases don’t hold press conferences.”

The allegations against Singer have led to numerous different responses, from those who feel that it’s a shakedown to others who’ve talked about ‘rumours’ Singer likes the company of younger men. Some have also questioned the timing of the suit and the fact the abuse is said to have taken place in Hawaii, as a current amnesty on the statute of limitations for sex abuse cases in that State runs out on April 26th (normally a case has to be brought before a plaintiff in 26). It has already run out in California and most other states

However it’s not possible to infer whether this has any meaning other than this is likely Egan’s only opportunity to bring the case.