Fired 'Bohemian Rhapsody' director Bryan Singer's BAFTA nod sparks backlash
The accolades continue to roll in for Bohemian Rhapsody and, by default, controversial director Bryan Singer.British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) awards nominations were announced Wednesday and even though Singer, who was fired from the film with just two weeks left, wasn’t nominated for the Best Director award, the movie — about Queen frontman Freddie Mercury — is up for Outstanding British Film with Singer’s name featured front and center. Dexter Fletcher, who stepped in as director at the end to finish the film, isn’t listed. (Film producer Graham King and screenwriter Anthony McCarten were also singled out.) The nomination comes days after the film won Best Motion Picture — Drama at the Golden Globes.
Although it’s not a shock that Singer is listed as the director — Directors Guild of America requires in its contracts that each film have only one director or directing entity, and Fletcher said he did not want the directing credit, Variety said — there was general disappointment on social media that he was nominated at all. After all, in addition to his troubles on the set of Bohemian Rhapsody, which starred Golden Globe winner Rami Malek, Singer has faced multiple allegations of sexual misconduct. Singer has slammed the “false accusations” as well as the “bogus lawsuits” brought against him by accusers, but in this era of #MeToo and Time’s Up, it’s something that hasn’t gone unnoticed.
Bryan Singer gets a BAFTA nod. Yikes. pic.twitter.com/oPgZrxXaHL
— Guy Lodge (@GuyLodge) January 9, 2019
so, uh, "congratulations" to Bryan Singer for his #BAFTA nomination for Bohemian Rhapsody? pic.twitter.com/kdrDVWKdv9
— Nathaniel Rogers (@nathanielr) January 9, 2019
A lot of the online comments are directed at BAFTA.
Congrats to BAFTA nominee Bryan Singer! Good look, @BAFTA
— Sam the Snowman (@SamCoffey72) January 9, 2019
Emmm… @BAFTA stop giving credit to Bryan Singer. Just Graham King and Anthony McCarten, period. pic.twitter.com/Jy1A8e1l5r
— ? Iratxe ? (@iamstonem) January 9, 2019
After all, last year, BAFTA helped establish a new set of principles and guidance to eliminate bullying and harassment in the screen industries.
#BAFTANominations “We’ve worked with our colleagues to introduce guidance and principles against bullying & harassment. Meanwhile, BRYAN SINGER’S BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY is nominated for Outstanding British Film!”
— James Scott (@JamesRobertScot) January 9, 2019
BAFTAs: *praises metoo movement*
literally 30 seconds later
BAFTAs: and here's your nod, bryan singer!
— jasmin – 40 days of finals hell left (@paintingghosts) January 9, 2019
The #EEBAFTAs just nominated Bryan Singer for Bohemian Rhapsody. This is repulsive and spits in the face of his victims and #MeToo. @BAFTA, you can do better than this. Don't nominate sexual abusers. https://t.co/5qCT2cFHeU
— Ezra Cubero (@EzraCubero) January 9, 2019
There were calls to “remove” the nomination.
Remove Bryan Singer's nomination.
— The Screaming Moist (@BrienAyrton) January 9, 2019
There were comparisons to what’s going on with R. Kelly now following the airing of the Surviving R. Kelly documentary.
Everyone is canceling R. Kelly but Bryan Singer is still getting awards left and right and celebrating. A joke.
— ? (@trmrchrst) January 9, 2019
Plus, there was just general upset over the decision.
Ready to leave the UK now that Bryan Singer was nominated for a BAFTA.
— Mr Howard (@MrHoward) January 9, 2019
Malek has also been specifically called out. The actor didn’t acknowledge Singer in his acceptance speech on Sunday (neither did producers for their Best Motion Picture — Drama win) and has seemingly been avoiding the topic over the last few days as he does press following his win. But people are asking why Malek isn’t being asked why he worked with Singer in the first place, as the allegations against Singer have been around for several years, in the way Diane Keaton, Kate Winslet, Selena Gomez and others have been asked to explain why they worked with Woody Allen. (Allen was accused of molestation by his daughter, Dylan Farrow. No charges were filed and he has maintained his innocence.)
Rami Malek needs to be asked nonstop why he worked with known pedophile Bryan Singer, just like countless actresses have been asked about Woody Allen.
— Andrew Sheridan (@asherid1) January 9, 2019
All this bs saying rami malek shouldn’t be held accountable because he was picked before Bryan singer is so bullsht!!!! Like that just means he had bargaining power to get him kicked off the film (it obviously worked eventually when they didn’t get along)
— Katharine Cutler (@katharinecutler) January 9, 2019
my question this whole time has been, didn’t rami malek know that he was signing up for a movie directed by bryan singer? didn’t he, like all of the actors who choose to work with woody allen, know exactly what he was doing?
— ry #teammanila (@carrieandleia) January 9, 2019
so y'all are gonna keep acting like rami malek and the rest of the cast didn't know about singer huh
— big little lies updates (@saIanders) January 8, 2019
It will be interesting to see if Singer shows up for the BAFTAs, which will take place Feb. 10. He did not appear at the Globes — and, as we mentioned — was deleted from the conversation that night. But that didn’t stop him from celebrating his win. After the show, he posted a photo from the Bohemian Rhapsody set, with him sitting in his director’s chair while Malek was on the set, and he thanked the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for the honor. Among the commenters to congratulate his “brother” was film producer Brett Ratner.
