Michael Egan, the 31-year-old accusing X-Men director Bryan Singer of routinely molesting him as a teenager, has been linked to an Oscar-nominated “social justice” documentary filmmaker working on a documentary about sex abuse in Hollywood.
Though it’s not entirely clear whether the recent allegations were made to directly drum up press for the upcoming flick, Amy Berg, the film’s director, confirmed to the Daily Mail that the film includes mention of Bryan Singer and that Egan has been working closely with her.
DM reports an unnamed source close to Egan initially spilled the beans:
Just this week, I got a message from Disarming Films, a documentary film company working out of Los Angeles.
They said they are making a documentary about a bunch of children molested by somebody in the film industry. I never contacted them back. They wanted videos and pictures of Michael and a few others he knew.
The film company said they were working on numerous children, now adults, now coming forward about this.
I was close to Michael, but he didn’t confess any of this to me until 2012. I don’t know the specifics, what the person’s name was, I just knew that one of his close friends was in that whole scene with him.
Amy Berg confirmed to DM that she’s been working on the documentary for two years, and that Egan has been cooperative. She offered no further comment. The source concluded that “Michael has lots of psychological issues” that are most likely tied to the string of abuse he suffered as a teenager.
Earlier this week at a press conference, Egan accused Singer of running a drug-fueled party circuit for Hollywood predators who liked to treat teenagers “like a piece of meat.” He claimed he was one of many boys who were routined raped by Singer and Hollywood executive Marc Collins-Rector, who was jailed in 2004 for luring minors across state lines for sexual acts.
At the press conference, Egan’s attorney, Jeff Herman, claimed he had “heard from many people that they were abused in Hollywood as children just in the last 18 hours,” and that more alleged victims may soon come forward.
Singer has remained mum regarding the allegations. According to the latest news from yesterday, he has proof that he wasn’t even in Hawaii at the time he allegedly raped Egan twice in 1999.
Stache99
I was around these people during this time myself. What Michael Egan says is 100% the truth. The younger the better was their motto. This would be a fascinating documentary to watch.
“He claimed he was one of many boys who were routined raped by Singer and Hollywood executive Marc Collins-Rector”
Another bit of information not mentioned was that Marc Collins-Rector was caught sexually molesting a 14 year old boy. He paid the parents off. However, investors in his company (DEN) found out and bailed on him. These are just very sick people.
wiredpup
@Stache99: Really? So you were there, and chose to do nothing. Sounds like you’re just as guilty then.
RayJacksonMs
So tell us. What kept you all going back to get raped over and over?
MLBaller
I went to a couple of these parties during that time. Most of the boys were all around 16 – 22. I was a little older and wasn’t a target of these predators, but did witness it. The drugs and alcohol were flowing freely. Did I see Bryan Singer rape or molest a 17 year old? Nope, but I saw lots of older Hollywood guys plying drugs and alcohol to a bunch of kids, over and under 18, and then having their way with them. I would also like to point out, that even if these kids are over 18, they could have still been raped by these older guys. We treat male and female rape victims differently. Substitute young girls with the young guys in this story. We would call them what they are: predators.
Last point I want to make is that Bryan Singer may be able to provide receipts and production reports to “prove” he was in Canada at the time of the rape happening in Hawaii, but he could have easily flown on a private jet to get away for a few days, or a weekend, and flown back. I work in film. This happens all of the time on location shoots. The director, actors, and producers have access to private planes or the studio provides first class tickets for them to get away or go back home for a few days during filming.
wiredpup
@MLBaller: Another witness who stood by and did nothing, yet chooses to speak out anonymously later online. Nice.
Tookietookie123
@wiredpup: A lot of people in WeHo/Hollywood are aware of these people, but nobody says anything because of their power and they just want to save their own asses. These people are a lot more powerful than they initially come off, and if you say something, you’re either branded as a psycho or you’re also kicked out of high society or both. Let’s be serious, if we tried raising the alarm, we would be largely ignored, I mean the FBI denied a case for Egan a while back when he said he was raped. It’s a disgusting thing they do and I hope they get prison time for this, they shouldn’t be allowed to have any power whatsoever. Even if Singer is innocent, everyone here knows other directors do it, and that a lot of 18 year olds are being used by these directors for only days at a time and get thrown aside. I don’t know what kind of emotionless human could do that, they’re naive and young and trying to get their start in the world and you’d exploit that just for your carnal pleasure? To me, using your power to have sex with an 18 year old is just as bad as using your power to have sex with a minor, to me it’s disgusting, but that’s just my opinion. People act like it’s commonplace for this to happen and that it’s natural for directors to do it, and that’s what bothers me, nobody tries to do anything about it, hell, even production companies turn a blind eye to it. Hollywood is a whole lot worse than people make it seem. I can’t imagine how these people go to sleep at night knowing what they’ve done, a court might find you innocent or they may never find out, but you know very well what you’ve done.
MLBaller
@wiredpup: Who said I didn’t do anything? You infer I didn’t do anything, but you are mistaken. That wasn’t my scene and I stopped going after a couple of times. Did I ever call the police? No, because what proof did I have? I met a couple of underage kids at these parties. Did I see them being sexually abused? Well, I saw them being kissed and groped by older guys. So, I should have gone to the police? At the time, I was doing drugs at these parties, so I wanted to incriminate myself doing illegal activity? The police are going to believe a 25 year old about a house of depravity with big name actors/producers/directors molesting young boys? Get real and join the real world. You suggest that you would have done something to stop all of this, but it’s easier for you to think you would than to be in the middle of all of that and actually do something.
tomron
My outrage at people who use their power to rape innocents is as great as that of the other outraged writers re: this brouhaha. However, I am just as outraged at former 17 year olds who continuously went back for more, and then 14 years later make a big fuss about it. Yes, I know that 17 is still a minor, and I know that the law and morality are very strict about the consequences of messing with a minor (in fact I agree with the law and morality on that point). However, I’m also aware that a 17 year old is old enough to know which end is up (so to speak). Once is rape, over and over at different times and places is consensual!
DistingueTraces
Substitute young girls with the young guys in this story. We would call them what they are: predators.
Would we? The description of these parties doesn’t sound all that different from an ordinary night at the Playboy mansion, which is not only tolerated by law enforcement but celebrated on reality TV.
This isn’t intended as a defense of Bryan Singer – quite the reverse.
I think this story shows the level of abuse toward young women that the entertainment industry simply takes for granted. Do the same to a young boy, and suddenly it’s shocking.
Stache99
@wiredpup: Because my roommate worked for the guy. Plus, I was young and naive myself.
MLBaller
@DistingueTraces: I agree with you, though I have been to the Playboy mansion for a couple of parties and they are not as exciting and erotic as one might imagine. This stuff happens all over Hollywood, no matter gay or straight, at a private party or bar. More powerful people use this to their advantage and I think sometimes people find it hard to say no.
@tomron: I think you are being a little simplistic in your statement that once is rape, multiple times is consensual. So, are you saying that a man or woman that stays in an abusive relationship is consenting to the abuse? One beating is just that, a beating, but if you let them beat you more than once, you must enjoy it?
Tookietookie123
What in the hell is the government doing about this? I mean, you would assume the FBI would have a problem with this, but no, they’re just sitting on their hands. Who do I have to sue for someone to do something, I feel like I myself should do something but I can’t really battle powerful film moguls.
Curtispsf
Holy shit…the pious with their pointy little fingers who stood by doing nothing while they allegedly were witness to abuse are no better than those they accuse. This stuff may or may not have happened, but I can’t shake the feeling that the accuser(s) are lining up for revenge and money because things didn’t go as planned. Would they be complaining if they ended up with a payoff of a car/movie part, rich daddy, etc.?
I’m NOT defending those who prey on the young; to me it’s morally and emotionally repugnant…but let’s remember it’s a 2 way street. Many young so-called “twinks” use old rich guys for what THEY can get out of the equation.
ingyaom
When were these pictures taken? The alleged perpetrator looks younger than the accuser… or is that just his cosmetic surgery?
xzall
@tomron: I think you have the age and the chronology of events a little off in this case. Egan was 14 when he moved to L.A. and attended a private school there. He was an aspiring actor/model and was classmates with the younger brother of one of the men who ran DEN or Digital Entertainment Network and that’s how he came to those parties. He alleges that those men raped him and then passed him on to guests like Singer. All this happened before he was 17. Why he allowed the incidents to go on so long or why he complied was probably a combo of grooming (offering parts and presents if he complied), and according to him coercion (using drugs and alcohol) and force (claims someone used a gun on him when he refused them)
Also remember, In Singer’s case he’s not claiming statutory rape but forcible rape saying he told Singer no and Singer supposedly pushed his head under water several times to make him comply and then proceeded to rape him. But this incident happened when he was in L.A. and still underage.
The incident that happened with Singer when he was 17 was the one in Hawaii where he was flown out to one of the men’s other houses and given to several other powerful Hollywood men. I’m guessing it’s those other men that his lawyer will name in this lawsuit.
Cam
I love it that some of the same people asking the posters who claim to know about these things happening why they didn’t do anything, are the same ones attacking the people making the claims.
So, you want people to come forward but attack them when they do?
I’m curious to see what happens, but sorry, the guy who played Pyro in the first X-Men movie already stated publicly that he got the role after an X-rated hot tub session with Singer. If you look at the kid in the movie he looks, YOUNG.
So do I find it hard to believe that a very rich, very powerful Hollywood producer would be into this kind of stuff? No, I think Roman Polanski proved that.
Billy Budd
@Cam: Being young is not bad. Singer can have as many young teens as he wants, as long as they are beyond the age of consent (which is 16yo in Hawaii). He can have as many teens as he likes. Let’s not be hypocritical. Straight guys love to fu** young girls. They do it all the time. Milionnaires always marry girls that are 40 years their junior. Youth is an asset.
The boy that is suing Singer is just a call boy who is trying to get easy money. A leech. Call boys know what they are doing. Now, decades after he was hired by SInger, he wants more money. In the precise moment when SInger is releasing a new movie. This is ridiculous.
Billy Budd
I mean Above the age of consent.
BJ McFrisky
If true, what Singer did was serial rape, and attempting to absolve him of responsibility due to technicalities is insulting to his victims.
alphamaleii
i think that looking at all of this says one thing now ,,,so ONE sided we all can be ,,,its either the POOR VICTIM or that BAD NASTY MAN ,,,i ask this why wood a 16 year old boi be at a party how did he get there & what was he looking for there ,,,,now i know when i was 16,, i was a horny little shit just like any one else was ,,,,but ta blame it all on the bad nasty man just dont work with me ,,,,why wood a 16 year old boi also go back and back & back again over & over again ,,,seems to me that he was looking for something then just like hes looking for something now what did he get outta it then & whats he gonna get outta it now ,,,,wasnt it great then for that big bad nasty man to show off his trophy boi fuck then & now that older 16 year old boi wants CASH ,,PITY ,, WORLD AKNOWLEDGEMENT,,,, BOOK DEALS & that almitey 15 minutes of FAME ,,,,,, its sad really that when it all comes down to it its all about MONEY or pushing that next book or movie deal now ,,,nobody caared about the crap then & im sure that we dont care about it going on now either !!
Stache99
@Billy Budd: Exept in California where it’s 18 yo. So no. He can’t legally have as many “young teens” as he wants.
For someone that knows so little you sure know allot.
Doughosier
Singer and men like him are setting the gay cause back many years. Sterotypical, hedonists who use their status and drugs to use and abuse starry eyed young men. I hope he does jail time but sadly, money and influence trump justice in this country.
ppp111
@DistingueTraces:
I’ve noticed that in past stories on other sites, it seems the gender of the perpetrator seems more an issue than the gender of the alleged victim. If Singer was an attractive woman, I highly doubt this guy’s allegations would make it as far as front page. He would get ridiculed for suing at attractive, Maxim model for giving him the ‘gift’ of sex. Just an observation mind you and not trying to defend Singer. If the allegations are true, and that’s a big IF, than immediate prosecution should follow.
ppp111
@Doughosier:
They abuse starry eyed young people. Unfortunately, most women in Hollywood know this scenario all too well. It just goes to show you the seedy underside of this industry. Ah well, that’s the nature of the beast I guess.
inbama
You are all such innocents.
I remember hunting older men at age 16.
At 17 I was lying about my age to get into the tubs.
Nobody had to lure me with a movie role – I had raging hormones.
Billy Budd
I do not pity bitter, addicted, greedy, lecherous, lying retired call boys who did not learn the first rule of the trade: DISCRETION.
Pistolo
I’m sorry but there’s an important distinction that startling few people have yet to note…
There’s a difference between
A) A cokehead director who likes to party and goes for younger men (twinks)
And
B) A pedophile who abuses power and targets minors.
Just because Singer, like many gay AND STRAIGHT men, bangs twinkish guys that doesn’t provide evidence that he’s a rapist. I mean Brett Ratner dated Lindsay Lohan when she was very young, so did Wilmer Valderama. No smoke, no fire. But what I can’t believe is that so many hoards of people say “Well, I saw Bryan Singer with younger LOOKING guys so it must be true”.
I’m not saying that he’s innocent quite yet but he’s not Woody Allen either (who, oddly, got much more defenders, btw).
rand503
Anyone who thinks going to the police is going to accomplish anything is an idiot. Even of they did attempt a prosecution, and eve if they did get Singe thrown in jail, this stuff happens all the time. There wouldn’t be enough courtrooms in LA to handle all the cases, and the film industry would grind to a halt.
And it wouldn’t atop anything. T would just push the parties underground. So long as yu have people with power, and you have wide eyed naifs looking for a shortcut to fame, this will always happen.
And in truth, both Egan and Singer are morally culpable. Simger for his actions, and Egan for thinking the way to fame was to prostitute himself. The problem os that Egan paid a price, but Singer did not.
Lazycrockett
Like older men NOT leeching on to twinks doesnt happen every weekend?
DarkZephyr
I don’t get the older men who absolutely *won’t* date above the age of 19. There are plenty of BEAUTIFUL men who are older. I don’t judge relationships between younger and older ADULT men that are consensual but I just don’t comprehend the types that are *only* satisfied with the extremely young and won’t even consider for a split second dating close to their own age. I am not judging anyone who is in a relationship with a man who is younger than himself (if I did I would be a big fat hypocrite) as I have dated younger guys. I have also dated OLDER guys and was just as happy with that.
DarkZephyr
@ingyaom: His face looks a little botoxy to me.
@inbama: I lost my virginity at 19 to a 56 year old man and had the time of my life. Dude was in excellent shape and had a libido (and penis) that put many 19 year olds to shame. Damn I had fun.
Alton
If Singer actually forced this guy to do something the guy refused to do, then Singer is guilty of rape, and should pay. If this guy willingly attended these “parties” out of a desire for sex or money or work, and willingly engaged in sex for any of those desires, then Singer is innocent. It’s as simple as that.
Cam
@Billy Budd: said.. “@Cam: Being young is not bad. Singer can have as many young teens as he wants, as long as they are beyond the age of consent (which is 16yo in Hawaii).
__________________________
1. What a coincidence that the accusation is that he took the kid to Hawaii where a 17 year old having sex would be legal.
2. See number one.
BrianZ
Well I hope that the truth is exposed and any crimes are punished.
It just feels odd in the heart that someone would make a documentary about this rather than pursue justice in the legal system first.
xzall
I find it interesting that while there’s been plenty of defense of Singer from anonymous online blog commenters, I’ve yet to see a stirring defense of him from his fellow Hollywood producers, directors and actors. Even Woody Allen had his public defenders. Well Duncan Roy has something to say about Singer and it’s not exactly a defense of him: http://duncanroy.wordpress.com/2014/04/17/bryan-singer/
Persa
@Cam:
Alex Burton was 18 when he was cast as PYRO in the first X-Men movie which began casting in 1999.
At 18 you are a legal adult in every state, you can get married, vote, join the military, etc. He was in no way underaged or a minor.
ingyaom
Can’t drink.
xzall
@hotboyvb81: That would be surprising considering how much publicity he’s courting with that letter he wrote about being disinvited as speaker at his old college. You’d think he’d lay low if he was expecting trouble. Also wasn’t he with a guy close to his age on his sex tape?
MLBaller
This all even sounds a lot like what is going on with Terry Richardson right now. Richardson is not accused of sex with an underage girl, but he is being accused of offering sex for a photo shoot. It all boils down to men (mostly, I’m sure there are women who do this also) who are in power and abuse it.
Cobalt Blue
I’m really impressed with the high level of the comments here so I’ll try to do my best: What Singer did is called ‘rape’ and when it happens the victim doesn’t have time to be properly prepared to have sex so when Singer raped underaged guys we can affirm that his dick, ball sac and crotch got covered with shit… for sure.
Cam
@Persa: said…
“Alex Burton was 18 when he was cast as PYRO in the first X-Men movie which began casting in 1999.
At 18 you are a legal adult in every state, you can get married, vote, join the military, etc. He was in no way underaged or a minor.”
_______________________
1. You don’t know when he was given the role. Directors know they are working on a picture for quite some time.
2. He looked young, was at a party with Singer, and was promised a role in return for action in a hot-tub. Sound familiar?
hotboyvb81
@xzall: no- it was a 19 year old
hotboyvb81
plus- Black started his crusade to speak a week ago- it was only just released that others would be named….
Ogre Magi
@Cobalt Blue: you can’t know that for sure
CWfan
@hotboyvb81: I think you would be well aware that Jeff Delancy (the guy in the sex photos with Dustin Lance Black) was not 19 years old in 2006, but 20/21. OK, not much different to 19, but I don’t know why you are choosing to lie about this – perhaps you would care to enlighten us? Is it because you want to portray everyone that Mr. Black has dated as being a teenager?
You might not like Mr. Black, but I don’t think that can excuse you repeatedly writing comments containing falsehoods about him, expecially when you know them to be such.
And, betting that Mr. Black will shortly be named in a lawsuit as a pedophile/sexual abuser/rapist is sailing pretty close to the wind, in terms of you being subject of a lawsuit for defamation, particularly since you seem to be basing your reasoning on, as you put it, “…
we all know he loves the teenagers!”
sangsue
It’s called the casting couch and if they’re calling out Singer and the parties of these gay rich men then let’s call out the casting couch that has been known for years for heterosexual rich men to meet and do pretty youngish women. Dennis Schneider of Nicholodeon has been suspected for years of messing with young teenaged girls, yet no one does a thing, Why is that, I wonder
jar
@tomron: If they are telling the truth, the have the right to tell their story to whomever they choose for as long as they choose. There is no statute of limitations on one’s right to tell one’s story (especially if it has curative powers).