Disney faces serious allegations by child star

Raquel Lee sues entertainment giant over 'sexual assault' Former child actor Raquel Lee has filed a lawsuit against Disney, alleging that she was sexually assaulted by a former Disney employee when she was 14 while working on the 2001 television movie The Poof Point. According to the lawsuit, Lee alleges that a middle-aged male employee involved in the production groomed, sexually harassed and assaulted her while the cast was filming in Salt Lake City and travelling back to California. The complaint claims the employee provided Lee with alcohol and that Disney and director Neal Israel encouraged her to develop a close relationship with him. The lawsuit further alleges that inappropriate behaviour was allowed to continue on the set of the children's film. Lee claims the employee made sexually explicit jokes and engaged in inappropriate physical contact around young performers, while Disney staff allegedly failed to intervene. Lee also alleges that the abuse and alcohol consumption left her exhausted and frequently unwell while working on the production. According to the lawsuit, Disney executives allegedly criticised her behaviour rather than addressing the circumstances she was experiencing. The complaint claims she was subsequently removed from another production following The Poof Point. Disney has declined to comment on the lawsuit. Lee began her acting career as a child and became known for appearances on The Amanda Show and as the voice of Nubia Gross on The Proud Family. She later returned to the role for Disney Channel's The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder, which ran from 2022 to 2026. The actress also appeared in the documentary Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV, where she discussed her experiences as a Black child actor in the entertainment industry. The allegations in Lee's lawsuit have not been proven in court, and Disney has not publicly responded to the specific claims beyond declining comment. Disney operates the largest television and film studio in Hollywood. Walt Disney Studios includes Walt Disney Pictures, Walt Disney Animation Studios, Pixar, Marvel Studios, Lucasfilm, 20th Century Studios, 20th Century Animation, and Searchlight Pictures. Disney's other main business units include divisions operating the ABC television network; cable television networks such as Disney Channel, ESPN, Freeform, FX, and National Geographic; publishing, merchandising, music, and theater divisions; direct-to-consumer streaming services such as Disney+, ESPN+, Hulu, and Hotstar; and Disney Experiences, which includes several theme parks, resort hotels, and cruise lines around the world. Disney is one of the biggest and best-known companies in the world. Often regarded as one of the most influential entertainment brands in history, Disney is credited with revolutionizing the animation industry. Disney was ranked 71st on the 2025 Forbes Global 2000, and 44th on the 2026 Fortune 500 list of biggest companies in the United States by revenue. Since its founding, the company has won 135 Academy Awards, 26 of which were awarded to Walt.