"Bohemian Rhapsody" director Bryan Singer, who is accused of sexual assault, thanks Golden Globes for award

"Bohemian Rhapsody" director Bryan Singer, who's been accused of sexual assaulting a minor, caused an uproar on social media after the film won big at the Golden Globe Awards.

At the show Sunday night, star Rami Malek and the producers went up on stage to accept the award for Best Motion Picture – Drama. Singer did not attend the Globes, but quietly accepted in his own way – in an Instagram post.

"What an honor. Thank you, #HollywoodForeignPress," Singer wrote on Instagram, sharing a photo from the film's set in which he is sitting in the director's chair.

Singer left the film near the end of shooting in 2017. At the time, The Hollywood Reporter said Malek complained to the studio about Singer's unprofessionalism on behalf of the cast, while Singer claimed he had to return to the U.S. to deal with "pressing health matters" concerning one of his parents. 

That same week, Singer was accused in a lawsuit of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old boy at a party more than a decade earlier. A representative for Singer said in a statement to The Associated Press  that the director "categorically denies these allegations and will vehemently defend this lawsuit to the very end."

Singer's post about the Golden Globe caused a stir on social media. "What a creep," one Instagram user commented on the photo. 

Actress Evan Rachel Wood weighed in on Twitter, writing: "So we just..we are all still supposed to be pretending we dont know about Bryan Singer? Cause it worked out really well with #Spacey and #Weinstein."

Some blamed the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, which awards the Golden Globes, and Twentieth Century Fox for celebrating a man who is accused of sexual assault and who did not complete his job on the film that was being honored.

Others pointed out that while the producers and stars of the film avoided mentioning Singer, they also failed to acknowledge director Dexter Fletcher, who was brought in to replace Singer and complete the movie.

Singer is the latest in a wave of prominent men to face sexual harassment or abuse allegations since the #MeToo movement began in 2017, in the wake of accusations against Harvey Weinstein.

Singer has been extensively promoting "Bohemian Rhapsody" on his Instagram, littering his feed with behind-the-scenes photos and videos in the days leading up to the Golden Globe Awards. It is unclear if Singer will actually receive a trophy for the film's win at the Globes.  

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• Rape