Former Disney child actress Raquel Lee is accusing the entertainment giant of ignoring the assault she allegedly suffered years ago on-set, early in her acting career.
Lee, who was also a cast member of Nickelodeon’s The Amanda Show in 14 episodes between 1999 and 2000, now alleges in a lawsuit that she was repeatedly attacked by a Disney worker during production of the 2001 Disney Channel film The Poof Point.
The lawsuit comes amid ongoing scrutiny of major entertainment companies and their handling of allegations involving minors. Hollywood has faced increased pressure in recent years to address how children in the industry are protected, with multiple high-profile cases bringing attention to potential gaps in oversight and accountability when allegations arise on production sets.
The actress, who was 14 years old in 2001, claims that a “middle-aged” man targeted her during the production and that he first “groomed” her before assaulting her. She accuses Disney of negligence, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
The lawsuit alleges the incidents occurred in a hotel room in Salt Lake City, where the movie was filmed, and during a flight to Los Angeles.
She alleges that the perpetrator “regularly whispered sexually explicit and harassing comments” into her ear while on set and “used hugs to get close to her.”
Lee’s filing says the alleged conduct was “in plain view of the cast and crew and could be heard by the sound technicians managing the cast’s microphones.”
The allegation that the behavior was observable by multiple production personnel raises questions about protocols for reporting and intervening when concerning conduct is witnessed on set. Industry standards typically require multiple adults to be present when working with minors, though enforcement and implementation of such safeguards can vary across productions and time periods.
She claims the particular employee constantly made sexually explicit jokes around underaged talent on-set. She also says that no one at Disney moved to stop it.
The actress goes on to accuse Disney of harming her career in retaliation against her and that she was accused of being “out of control.”
She added that her role in a later production was cancelled and she lost the acting job after she complained about the alleged incidents.
Allegations of career retaliation following complaints of misconduct have been a recurring theme in entertainment industry lawsuits. Such claims speak to broader concerns about power dynamics in Hollywood and whether young performers and their families feel they can safely report problematic behavior without jeopardizing future opportunities in a highly competitive field.
“Over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment,” said Lee’s attorney Doug Widgor. “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.”
Widgor also represented Cassie Ventura against Sean “Diddy” Combs, has represented several women who accused Harvey Weinstein, and also worked with Nafissatou Diallo, the hotel housekeeper who accused then-IMF chief Dominique Strauss-Kahn.
The attorney’s track record in high-profile cases suggests this lawsuit may draw significant public attention to Disney’s policies and procedures regarding child safety on sets during the early 2000s, a period that preceded many of the industry reforms instituted following the #MeToo movement.
The filing notes that Disney has faced numerous charges and added that “This is not the first time that Disney has enabled a sexual predator to target and abuse vulnerable victims.”
The reference to previous allegations points to a pattern of legal challenges that major studios have faced regarding the treatment and protection of minors in their employment. Such lawsuits have prompted industry-wide discussions about updating child safety protocols and whether existing regulations adequately protect young performers.
The charges remain allegations. The case has not been proven in court.
Lee began acting in 1998 when she was 12 years old. She has appeared in several sitcoms, including The Hughleys and The Bernie Mac Show, and has provided voice work for the cartoon series The Proud Family and its recent reboot The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
Her career trajectory, which began at such a young age and spanned both live-action and voice acting work across multiple networks, reflects the demanding schedule and diverse work environments that child actors often navigate. The longevity of her career, continuing into recent years with The Proud Family reboot, demonstrates her sustained presence in the industry despite the challenges she now alleges she faced early in her professional life.
