Former child actor Raquel Lee Boileau has filed a negligence lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company, alleging that an unnamed Disney employee repeatedly sexually assaulted her when she was 14 during production of the 2001 Disney Channel movie The Poof Point. According to the complaint, the alleged abuse was apparent to adults on the set and Disney failed to protect her.
WARNING: The article contains mention of rape and sexual assault.
Disney ‘did nothing’ as child star was ‘sexually assaulted,’ lawsuit claims
Lee, who now goes by Raquel Lee Boileau, was 14 years old when she starred in the Mark Curry-led Disney Channel movie The Poof Point, which debuted on September 14, 2001. The complaint describes an unnamed “John Doe,” identified only as an on-set, adult, middle-aged male employee, as the alleged predator.
“Mr. Doe’s sexual abuse of Ms. Boileau was apparent to the adults on Disney’s set,” the filing states. “Defendant Disney repeatedly failed Ms. Boileau. Disney facilitated and concealed Mr. Doe’s severe sexual abuse of Ms. Boileau.”
The lawsuit alleges the young actor was “repeatedly raped, sexually assaulted, sexually abused and sexually harassed” during production. It further claims she faced verbal tirades from Disney executives over her performance and appeared “visibly disheveled” on set.
The complaint also invokes Disney’s alleged historical handling of sexual misconduct, including its former association with convicted Miramax executive Harvey Weinstein. “This is not the first time that Disney has enabled a sexual predator to target and abuse vulnerable victims,” the filing asserts, alleging a “longstanding and horrifying history” of protecting abusers.
Under a 2020 California measure, survivors of childhood sexual abuse now have until their 40th birthday to file civil claims. A 2023 addition removed any statute of limitations for claims occurring on or after January 1, 2024.
The law also permits triple actual damages if a company is proven to have been aware of abuse and concealed it. Lee Boileau has continued working with Disney in recent years, including voiceover work on The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder.
Disney declined to comment on the lawsuit and its allegations when contacted by Deadline.
(Source: Deadline)
