Sexual misconduct allegations against A-list Hollywood director Bryan Singer have resurfaced in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein fallout. On Monday, a petition was launched calling for calling for the removal of Singer’s name from the school’s Division of Cinema and Media Studies.
The petition, says the X-Men director’s name being tied to the USC School of Cinematic Arts “gives the impression that we, both as an institution and as members of the entertainment industry, value his financial contributions over the safety, respect and future of students. It sets a precedent of lenience for sexual criminals and further undermines the visibility and respect that victims of harassment and assault deserve.”
The USC School of Cinematic Arts said it’s taking the petition “very seriously.”
“We are aware of the Change.org petition and appreciate the concerns of our students and alumni,” the school said, according to Variety. “We want to assure them that we are taking this matter very seriously and are monitoring the situation.”
Singer has repeatedly denied all allegations against him. Two separate lawsuits were brought against Singer in 2014 from men who accused the director of sexual misconduct while they were minors. Both lawsuits were eventually dropped.
Last week, Oscar-nominated actress Jessica Chastain tweeted a link to a Daily Wire article which catalogs past allegations of sex abuse against Singer.
Chastain — whose latest film, Molly’s Games, is produced by Singer and her next film, X-Men: Dark Phoenix, is directed by Singer — told the Daily Beast on Monday: “I do not feel beholden to anything. I’m going to speak my mind about any injustice that I see. I’m not afraid of anything in terms of that. And I think the greatest myth that an industry can create is to make people feel like they’re easily replaceable. I’m not going to allow that into my life.”
The petition is quickly approaching its 2,500 signature goal, at which point it will be delivered to USC School of Cinematic Arts, Dean Elizabeth Daley, and Vice Dean of Students Akira Lippit.
Singer has not publicly commented on the USC petition or Chastain’s comments.
Follow Jerome Hudson on Twitter @jeromeehudson