Disney Child Star Raquel Lee Bolleau Accuses Studio Employee of Sexual Assault
A former Disney child star has come forward with allegations of sexual assault by a studio employee. Raquel Lee Bolleau, now 39, filed a civil lawsuit against The Walt Disney Company in Los Angeles County Superior Court on August 21. According to the complaint, an unnamed middle-aged male Disney employee supplied Bolleau with alcohol and assaulted her during the filming of The Poof Point in 2001.
The alleged assaults took place while cast and crew were staying in Salt Lake City and during a flight back to California. Production staff encouraged Bolleau to 'bond' with the employee, kept her separated from her guardian, and failed to supervise her appropriately.
Bolleau claims that adults working on the film noticed a marked shift in her behavior and performance once the alleged abuse began, including that she appeared sick and intoxicated. Rather than investigating the change, Disney executives blamed Bolleau, labeled her 'out of control,' and pulled her from a role she'd been set to take on next.
Bolleau's attorneys, Douglas Wigdor and Jane Kim, stated: '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.'