Former child star Raquel Lee Bolleau alleges sexual assault on Disney Channel movie set
Former child actor Raquel Lee Bolleau alleges in a lawsuit filed last week that a male Disney employee sexually assaulted her while she was filming a network movie in 2001 and that the studio failed to respond to signs of abuse.
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Bolleau was 14 at the time of the alleged attacks, which she said unfolded during the filming of the Disney Channel movie, “The Poof Point.” The plaintiff, now 39, said her alleged attacker, who is not named in the suit, was “a lifelong resident of California” who was more than twice as old as she was at the time.
“John Doe” was “an on-set, adult, middle-aged, male employee of Disney who was involved in the filming of the movie” who “repeatedly raped, sexually assaulted, sexually abused and sexually harassed” Bolleau, according to the suit, which was filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday.
“Mr. Doe’s sexual abuse of Ms. Bolleau was apparent to the adults on Disney’s set,” the suit states. “Disney repeatedly failed Ms. Bolleau.”
A representative of Disney, based in Burbank, California, could not be immediately reached for comment on Monday.
Bollea’s other credits include voicing Olei on Disney’s “The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder,” and Nubia Gross in “The proud Family” original series and movie, according to IMDB She’s also appeared in shows like “Real Husbands of Hollywood” and films like “Stan the Man.”
She alleges the abuse she experienced derailed her career because she had “trauma of returning to a set,” according to the lawsuit.
Her lawsuit comes amid growing scrutiny of how child performers have been treated in Hollywood.
The 2024 documentary “Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV” detailed allegations of toxic working conditions on some Nickelodeon shows. Bolleau participated in the documentary, where she opened up about her experiences as a Black actor on “The Amanda Show,” but she did not discuss the allegations made in her recent lawsuit.
Other former child stars have since spoken about the pressures of growing up in the industry and called for stronger support.
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Protections for child performers have expanded over the past decade, including new on-set advocates and tighter rules for adults working with minors. But industry sources told NBC News last week that safeguards remain inconsistent and have not kept pace with growing awareness of the potential mental health effects of child stardom.
The alleged abuse toward Bolleau occurred in Utah, where “The Poof Point” was filmed in Utah, often in the man’s hotel room after he supplied her with alcohol, as well as on set, according to the lawsuit.
“On set, Mr. Doe regularly fondled and excessively touched Ms. Bolleau, often rubbing his genitals on Ms. Bolleau while giving her unsolicited hugs,” the suit states. “No one from Disney stopped this extremely inappropriate touching and molestation of a child.”
The abuse continued after the cast left Salt Lake City, with the man sexually assaulting Bolleau under a blanket as they flew back to California, the lawsuit said.
Bolleau’s work on “The Poof Point” suffered due to the alcohol and sex, according to the lawsuit.
“Disney recognized Ms. Bolleau’s sudden shift in demeanor and performance — clear indicia of child sexual abuse — and attacked, blamed and threatened Ms. Bolleau, a victim of rape, and Ms. Bolleau’s mother,” according to the lawsuit.
The studio “has been protecting and empowering sexual predators,” the lawsuit adds.
Bolleau’s lawsuit does not specify the amount of damages she is seeking.
“Over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment,” Bolleau’s attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Jane Kim, said in a statement, adding that those responsible “directly or indirectly” should be held accountable.
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