Former Disney child star Raquel Lee sues Disney for negligence
Former Disney child star Raquel Lee has filed a negligence lawsuit against the Walt Disney Company, alleging she was repeatedly sexually assaulted by a male Disney employee while filming the 2001 Disney Channel movie "The Poof Point" at age 14. Lee claims production failed to supervise her, ignored warning signs, and later blamed her for performance issues.
Raquel Lee, now 39, filed the complaint on Friday, according to Page Six, which reviewed court documents. The case adds to a growing wave of litigation and public testimony from former child actors who say adults in the entertainment industry failed to protect them.
Key Takeaways
- Lee alleges a middle-aged male Disney employee sexually assaulted her multiple times during filming of "The Poof Point" in 2001, when she was 14.
- The lawsuit accuses Disney of negligence, including separating Lee from her guardian and failing to intervene when the employee made inappropriate comments on set.
- Lee seeks economic and emotional damages, punitive damages, attorneys' fees, and other costs; the complaint does not specify a dollar amount.
- Disney has not responded to the lawsuit as of reporting, according to Page Six.
- Lee continued working with Disney for years afterward, including voice work on "The Proud Family" and its Disney+ revival.
What does Raquel Lee allege happened on the set of "The Poof Point"?
In her complaint, Lee alleges a "middle-aged, male Disney employee" gave her alcohol and sexually assaulted her multiple times while filming the 2001 Disney Channel movie. She does not name the employee in the filing.
Lee claims the alleged abuse occurred at locations including a Salt Lake City hotel where cast and crew were staying, and on a flight back to California. According to the lawsuit, the employee whispered inappropriate comments such as "last night was so good" to her on set in front of other adults, but no one at Disney intervened.
Why is Raquel Lee suing Disney for negligence?
Lee's lawsuit targets the Walt Disney Company for negligence rather than naming the alleged abuser directly in the headline claims. She alleges production separated her from her guardian and failed to provide appropriate supervision during filming.
Lee also claims that after the alleged abuse, her behavior changed dramatically. Instead of investigating, Disney executives blamed her for deteriorating performance and canceled an upcoming role, according to the complaint. For more on similar Hollywood legal battles, see our Celebrity Breaking News coverage.
How has Disney responded to the lawsuit?
Page Six reached out to Disney for comment but reported that the company had not responded to Lee's lawsuit at the time of publication. Lee's attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Jane Kim, told People that "over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment."
The attorneys added: "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."
What is Raquel Lee's history with Disney?
Lee starred in "The Poof Point," a Disney Channel movie about an experiment that makes two inventors grow younger. The film also featured Tahj Mowry, Mark Curry, and Dawnn Lewis.
Despite the alleged incidents during that production, Lee continued working with Disney. She provided voiceover work on "The Proud Family" from 2001 to 2005 and appeared in the Disney+ revival "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder" from 2022 to 2025.
Lee also appeared in the 2024 docuseries "Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV," discussing her experience on Nickelodeon's "The Amanda Show." She did not raise her Disney allegations in that series at the time.