NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!
A former Disney Channel star made disturbing allegations about her time on set in a new lawsuit.
Raquel Lee Bolleau claimed that an adult male employee sexually abused her when she was just 14 – after Disney personnel allegedly encouraged her to “bond” with him.
The alleged abuse began during production of the 2001 Disney Channel movie “The Poof Point,” after personnel directed her to spend time with the adult employee. According to the complaint obtained by Fox News Digital, the man supplied the then-14-year-old with alcohol and repeatedly sexually assaulted her during filming.
After the alleged sexual assault, Bolleau recalled the employee telling her: “You’re old enough. You can handle it.”
FORMER DISNEY STAR MAITLAND WARD SAYS YOUNG ACTORS WERE TREATED LIKE A ‘PRODUCT’ IN HOLLYWOOD FACTORY
Bolleau claimed she returned to set smelling of alcohol, vomiting and visibly changed after the alleged assault, but Disney personnel failed to investigate how a 14-year-old got alcohol or seek medical care for her. Instead, the complaint claimed, an executive branded her “out of control,” said the movie had gone “haywire” and told her representatives Disney was “extremely upset.”
On another occasion, an on-set Disney executive producer allegedly repeatedly told Bolleau she “need[ed] Jesus” and told her mother, “your daughter has a demon inside her,” according to the complaint.
Bolleau alleged Disney repeatedly separated her from her guardian despite California protections requiring a guardian of a performer under 16 to remain within “sight or sound” of the child. According to the complaint, her guardian could not watch Bolleau while she filmed or accompany her to wardrobe and makeup, and production personnel once told the guardian, “we do not even need you on set.” Bolleau claimed those practices left her without adequate adult supervision and gave her alleged abuser unrestricted access to her.
‘LITTLE HOUSE ON THE PRAIRIE’ STAR SAYS CHILD ACTORS GET ‘DROPPED’ AFTER HOLLYWOOD FAME FADES
Bolleau alleged the employee also sexually harassed and touched her in front of others on set. She claimed he regularly gave her unsolicited hugs, rubbed his genitals against her and whispered comments including “last night was so good” while cast members were still wearing microphones. Bolleau alleged sound technicians could hear many of the comments, but no one intervened or asked what the adult employee was saying to her.
“Instead of protecting and supporting its minor employee who was being repeatedly raped, sexually assaulted, sexually abused, and harassed, Disney covered up Mr. Doe’s abuse, and blamed Ms. Bolleau for the impact of Mr. Doe’s horrific misconduct,” Bolleau’s lawyers wrote.
“Disney’s egregious role in Mr. Doe’s abuse of Ms. Bolleau is part of a broader, institutional, and systemic pattern of institutional and individual failures at Disney that extends far beyond ‘The Poof Point.'”
Bolleau claimed the alleged abuse continued after filming wrapped. According to the complaint, Disney booked Bolleau in first class while seating her guardian in economy on the flight back to California. Bolleau alleged the employee told her to sit next to him and bring a blanket to cover them before sexually assaulting her during the flight and continuing until their row began to deboard at Los Angeles International Airport.
GET ENTERTAINMENT SCOOP DELIVERED RIGHT TO YOUR EMAIL BY CLICKING HERE
Bolleau sued The Walt Disney Company, specifically alleging Disney failed to protect her from sexual abuse when she was a 14-year-old actress. She claimed the company ignored warning signs, violated child-actor protections and failed to properly supervise her alleged abuser. She is seeking compensatory and punitive damages, along with attorneys’ fees, costs and interest.
“Over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment,” Bolleau’s lawyers, Doug Wigdor and Jane Kim, told Fox News Digital in a statement.
“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.”
LIKE WHAT YOU’RE READING? CLICK HERE FOR MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS
Bolleau began acting as a child, with an early television appearance on “Malcolm & Eddie” before getting her breakout opportunity on Nickelodeon’s “The Amanda Show.”
She appeared as a regular performer during the sketch comedy series’ first season alongside Amanda Bynes. She subsequently moved into Disney projects, playing Marie, the sister of Tahj Mowry’s Eddie, in “The Poof Point.”
PUT YOUR ENTERTAINMENT KNOWLEDGE TO THE TEST AND SEE HOW YOU SCORE
She went on to voice Nubia Gross, one of the intimidating Gross Sisters, on “The Proud Family” from 2001 to 2005.
Bolleau claimed Disney threatened and did cancel her role in a production following the alleged sexual assault in 2001 in the lawsuit.
Disney did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Read the full article here
