Former Disney child star Raquel Lee Bolleau has filed a lawsuit accusing the entertainment giant of failing to protect her from an adult employee who allegedly raped and sexually assaulted her when she was 14 years old. Bolleau claims the abuse began while she was filming the 2001 Disney Channel Original Movie “The Poof Point” in Utah and continued throughout production. The actress alleges that adults working on the movie noticed dramatic changes in her behavior and performance but blamed her instead of investigating whether she was in danger.
Bolleau, now 39, filed her lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles County Superior Court on Friday, August 21, according to PEOPLE.
The 45-page complaint includes claims of negligence, negligent hiring, supervision and retention, and premises liability. The unnamed employee is identified only as John Doe in the filing. Bolleau describes him as a middle-aged man who worked for Disney and was involved with the production of “The Poof Point.”
Her lawsuit targets Disney rather than the employee or individual staff members allegedly involved. Bolleau argues that Disney failed to provide adequate supervision and protection while she worked as a minor on the film.
Actress Claims Staff Told Her To ‘Bond’ With The Employee
According to the complaint, Bolleau was instructed by members of the production team to “bond” with the employee, get close to him and trust him. The lawsuit alleges that Bolleau was repeatedly separated from her on-set guardian during production, giving the employee access to her without appropriate adult supervision.
She further claims that Disney provided hotel accommodations that separated her from her guardian instead of placing them in a shared or adjoining room. Bolleau alleges that the employee made sexually explicit comments and repeatedly touched her inappropriately while they were on set.
The complaint claims this behavior occurred in front of cast and crew members and could allegedly be heard by the sound technicians responsible for monitoring the performers’ microphones. Despite the alleged conduct, Bolleau claims no one intervened or reported the employee.
Raquel Lee Bolleau Alleges The Employee Gave Her Alcohol
The actress claims the employee invited her and her guardian to his hotel room while the production was staying in Salt Lake City. According to the lawsuit, the man allegedly supplied them with alcohol and pressured Bolleau to drink.
Bolleau claims that after she became heavily intoxicated and initially left the room, the employee demanded that she return alone. She alleges that he raped and sexually assaulted her after she came back. The actress claims the abuse continued for weeks during filming.
According to the complaint, Bolleau frequently arrived on set exhausted, intoxicated, hungover or vomiting. She allegedly struggled to focus and remember her lines, representing a dramatic change from her previous reputation as a prepared and dedicated performer. Bolleau claims Disney did not arrange medical care for her, even when she was visibly sick.
Former Child Star Claims She Was Assaulted On A Flight
Bolleau alleges the abuse did not end when production wrapped. The lawsuit claims Disney booked the employee in first class beside Bolleau on the flight from Utah back to California, while her guardian was seated in economy. She alleges the employee sexually assaulted her beneath a blanket during the flight.
The complaint argues that placing the adult employee next to Bolleau without her guardian present created another opportunity for the alleged abuse to continue. Bolleau claims she returned home physically and psychologically unwell after completing the movie.
Disney Executives Allegedly Blamed The Teenager
Rather than investigate why Bolleau’s health, behavior and work performance had suddenly declined, the actress claims Disney executives blamed her for causing problems with the production. According to the lawsuit, one executive described her as “out of control” and accused her of causing the movie to go “haywire.”
Another person allegedly said Bolleau needed “Jesus” and had “a demon inside her.” Bolleau argues that these comments unfairly treated her as the source of the problem rather than recognizing that her changed behavior could have indicated that she was experiencing abuse.
She also alleges that Disney threatened to cancel an upcoming role and ultimately removed her from a planned production titled “Web Girl” because of her performance issues.
In a statement to PEOPLE, Bolleau’s attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Jane Kim, 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.”
Disney had not publicly responded to the lawsuit at the time of the initial reports.
