Former child star Raquel Lee has taken legal action against The Walt Disney Company. She filed a civil negligence lawsuit on Friday, August 21, in Los Angeles County Superior Court. The actress, now 39, claims she was repeatedly s*xually assaulted by a Disney employee while filming the 2001 Disney Channel Original Movie The Poof Point. Lee was 14 years old at the time of the production.
The lawsuit accuses Disney of failing to protect her from the alleged abuse. It also claims the company ignored warning signs and later blamed Lee for changes in her behavior and performance.
Trigger Warning: This article contains mentions of s*xual abuse.
What Lee Alleges Happened on the Set
Lee’s legal complaint describes the alleged abuser as an unnamed “middle-aged, male Disney employee”. She claims this person supplied her with alcohol and assaulted her multiple times. The alleged incidents took place while the cast and crew were staying in Salt Lake City, Utah. She also says an assault happened during a flight back to California.
The lawsuit states that Disney personnel instructed Lee to “bond” with this employee. She also claims the production separated her from her guardian for most of each day. This left her without proper supervision.
Lee alleges the employee “would torment” her on set. He reportedly whispered remarks like “last night was so good” in front of other adults. Despite these actions happening in plain view, Lee claims “no one at Disney intervened”.
Disney Accused of Ignoring Warning Signs
The legal filing claims that adults working on the production noticed major changes in Lee’s behavior. They reportedly saw that she appeared sick and intoxicated. The lawsuit describes this as “a stark difference from the dedicated, studious and diligent child actress who had joined the movie”.
Instead of investigating these concerns, Lee alleges Disney executives blamed her. They reportedly labeled her as “out of control”. The company also canceled another role she had been set to take on.
Lee’s attorneys argue that Disney violated child labor laws. They claim the company gave the alleged predator “unrestricted and dangerous access to a minor”. The complaint states that “not a single adult acknowledged the abuse or tried to help her”.
Lee’s Career Before and After the Film
Before The Poof Point, Lee was known for her work on The Amanda Show. She had previously spoken about feeling “disposable” on that set in a 2022 Business Insider report.
After The Poof Point, Lee continued working with Disney. She had a recurring voice role on the animated sitcom The Proud Family from 2001 to 2005. She later returned for the Disney+ revival, The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, which ran from 2022 to 2025.
Lee also participated in the 2024 docuseries Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV. The series explored allegations of abuse in children’s television.
Legal Representation and Statement
Lee is represented by attorneys Douglas Wigdor and Jane Kim from Wigdor LLP. Wigdor has handled several high-profile s*xual misconduct cases. He previously represented Cassie Ventura in her lawsuit against Sean “Diddy” Combs.
In a statement, Lee’s attorneys said:
“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.”
The lawsuit seeks damages for economic losses and emotional distress. It also asks for punitive damages, attorneys’ fees, and other costs. The complaint does not specify a total amount.
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Disney’s Response and Previous Settlement
Disney has not publicly commented on the lawsuit. Sources told Deadline that the company first learned about the case in June 2026. At that time, Wigdor and Kim approached Disney to try to settle the matter out of court. The parties could not reach an agreement.
This is not Lee’s first legal action related to The Poof Point. Deadline reports that in 2015, Lee negotiated a confidential settlement for a “small amount of money”. She was represented by attorney Gloria Allred at that time. The settlement was with a male who worked on the film. The man was represented by Venable partner William.
The current lawsuit argues that Disney has a history of protecting s*xual abusers. It references Harvey Weinstein and claims Disney’s failures began long before 2001. The filing states that Disney “has caused irreparable and devastating harm”.
What the Lawsuit Claims About the Film’s Production
The Poof Point was a Disney Channel Original Movie that debuted on September 14, 2001. The film starred Tahj Mowry, Mark Curry, and Dawnn Lewis. It followed two children whose scientist parents accidentally reverse their own aging.
Lee’s lawsuit claims that the set “was not safe for children”. It alleges that Disney failed to investigate, supervise, or terminate the employee to ensure child safety. The complaint states that Disney “facilitated and concealed Mr. Doe’s severe s*xual abuse”.
According to the filing, Lee was excited to join the project. The complaint notes she was “thrilled to join Disney in its first movie featuring a Black-American family”. But it says working for Disney “forever changed her life – but not in the ways she had hoped”.
The lawsuit describes how Lee changed during production:
“[Lee] transformed from an energetic, bright, and diligent child actress who overprepared and studied her lines – to an exhausted intoxicated, unwell child who could not focus, could not memorize her lines, smelled of alcohol, and was routinely sick or vomiting on set.”
The legal action against Disney continues to move forward. The company has not yet filed a response to the allegations in court.
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