Former Disney Child Star Raquel Lee Sues Studio Over Alleged On-Set Abuse

Former Disney Channel child actress Raquel Lee has filed a lawsuit alleging she was sexually assaulted by a Disney worker while filming the 2001 movie “The Poof Point,” according to reporting by The Hollywood Reporter and additional coverage from Yahoo and Hoodline.

Lee, who was 14 years old at the time of the production in Utah, alleges in the complaint that an adult middle-aged male Disney employee groomed her, made sexually explicit comments, and isolated her from her on-set guardian. According to the court filing obtained by USA TODAY and cited by Yahoo, the worker invited Lee and her guardian to a hotel room under the guise of practicing lines, where Lee was allegedly pressured to consume alcohol before being assaulted in the employee’s room.

The complaint asserts that Disney was negligent in connection with the abuse and failed to enforce California child labor laws, which mandate that a parent, guardian, or state-certified studio teacher remain within sight or sound of a minor under 16 at all times. “In violating child labor laws, Disney gave Mr. Doe, a child predator, unrestricted and dangerous access to a minor,” the legal complaint states, as reported by Yahoo.

According to Hoodline’s coverage of the filing, Disney executives are accused of blaming Lee for her changed behavior and trauma response rather than investigating the incident. The lawsuit alleges that executives accused her of causing the production to go haywire, engaging in sex acts with a crew member, and needing religious intervention. Lee experienced a noticeable decline in professional performance following the alleged assault, and Disney subsequently canceled her role in a forthcoming production, per The Hollywood Reporter’s account.

Disney has declined to comment on the pending litigation.

The lawsuit is moving forward under California Assembly Bill 2777, also known as the Sexual Abuse Cover-Up Accountability Act, which took effect on January 1, 2023. The legislation amended Civil Code Section 340.16 to create a temporary civil window allowing survivors to file claims regarding past sexual abuse and institutional cover-ups past the standard statute of limitations, according to the Dordulian Law Group referenced by Hoodline.

Lee is represented by trial attorney Doug Wigdor of Wigdor LLP, whose previous high-profile clients include Cassie Ventura and multiple women alleging misconduct by Harvey Weinstein. Wigdor declined to comment on the litigation when contacted by reporters.

Lee has a long professional history with the studio, having provided recurring voiceover work for “The Proud Family” in the early 2000s and returning for its Disney+ revival, “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” attending a red carpet event for the show in Los Angeles in January 2023. In a 2022 report by Business Insider cited by Yahoo, Lee also detailed her experiences working on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show,” stating that she was made to feel disposable and dehumanized during her early career in the entertainment industry.

In a statement issued to USA TODAY on August 22, Lee’s legal representatives addressed the broader entertainment sector, stating, Over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment. As former government prosecutors, our message to the entertainment industry is simple: This conduct is inexcusable, and those involved — directly or indirectly — must be held accountable.Source