Former Child Actress Raquel Lee Accuses Disney of Negligence in On-Set Sexual Abuse

In a shocking new court filing, former child actress Raquel Lee alleges that she was repeatedly raped and sexually assaulted by a Disney worker during the production of the 2001 Disney Channel original movie, The Poof Point.

According to the suit, which does not name the perpetrator, the alleged assailant was a middle-aged, male employee who was involved in the filming of the movie. Lee claims that he groomed and then assaulted her on multiple occasions in his room at a hotel where the cast and crew were staying during production in Salt Lake City, and later on a flight back to Los Angeles.

The alleged assailant also regularly whispered sexually explicit and harassing comments into her ear while on set, and used hugs to get close to her, the complaint contends.

The misconduct was allegedly done in plain view of the cast and crew, and could be heard by the sound technicians managing the cast’s microphones, yet no one at Disney intervened, the filing asserts.

Lee notes that her professional performance soon noticeably declined, and that multiple Disney executives attacked her ‘changed behavior and trauma response,’ accusing her of ‘being ‘out of control,’ causing the movie to go ‘haywire,’ ‘need[ing] Jesus,’ having ‘a demon inside her’ and engaging in sex acts with a member of the crew at the age of 14.’

The litigation adds that Disney threatened to, and did, cancel her role in a then-forthcoming production with the studio.

Lee is represented by Doug Wigdor, a prominent plaintiffs’ employment and sexual-misconduct lawyer, who has previously represented high-profile clients such as Cassie Ventura against Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs, Nafissatou Diallo, the hotel housekeeper who accused then-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault, and multiple women who alleged misconduct by Harvey Weinstein.

The complaint contends that Lee’s experience was part of a long pattern at the studio: ‘This is not the first time that Disney has enabled a sexual predator to target and abuse vulnerable victims.’

Wigdor’s filing cites a litany of previously reported accusations of predatory misconduct over decades that have been connected to the company.

Lee’s allegations come after she participated in the hit 2024 docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, in which she reflected on her treatment as a Black performer on Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show. However, she did not levy her The Poof Point claims in the docuseries, which became a cultural phenomenon for its focus on alleged misconduct against child actors.

After the airing of the docuseries, Lee noted that Drake Bell’s discussion of experiencing on-set sexual abuse was ‘retraumatizing’ for her.

Lee’s experience is a stark reminder of the need for greater accountability and protection for child performers in the entertainment industry.

As the industry continues to grapple with the issue of on-set misconduct, it is essential that we prioritize the safety and well-being of vulnerable performers like Lee.

A Pattern of Negligence at Disney

The complaint alleges that Lee’s experience was not an isolated incident, but rather part of a long pattern of negligence at Disney.

According to the filing, the company has enabled a number of sexual predators to target and abuse vulnerable victims over the years.

This is not the first time that Disney has faced allegations of enabling on-set misconduct. In the past, the company has been accused of ignoring or downplaying allegations of abuse and misconduct on its sets.

It is essential that Disney takes immediate action to address these allegations and ensure that its performers are protected from abuse and misconduct.

As the industry continues to grapple with the issue of on-set misconduct, it is essential that we prioritize the safety and well-being of vulnerable performers like Lee.

Lee’s Experience

Lee’s experience on the set of The Poof Point is a stark reminder of the need for greater accountability and protection for child performers in the entertainment industry.

According to the complaint, Lee was 14 years old when she was assaulted by the Disney worker.

She claims that the worker groomed her and then assaulted her on multiple occasions, and that she was allowed to be separated from her on-set guardian for the vast majority of each day.

The alleged assailant also regularly whispered sexually explicit and harassing comments into her ear while on set, and used hugs to get close to her, the complaint contends.

Lee notes that her professional performance soon noticeably declined, and that multiple Disney executives attacked her ‘changed behavior and trauma response,’ accusing her of ‘being ‘out of control,’ causing the movie to go ‘haywire,’ ‘need[ing] Jesus,’ having ‘a demon inside her’ and engaging in sex acts with a member of the crew at the age of 14.’

The litigation adds that Disney threatened to, and did, cancel her role in a then-forthcoming production with the studio.

Lee’s allegations come after she participated in the hit 2024 docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, in which she reflected on her treatment as a Black performer on Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show. However, she did not levy her The Poof Point claims in the docuseries, which became a cultural phenomenon for its focus on alleged misconduct against child actors.