The Proof Point’s Raquel Lee claims in a extremely graphic negligence suit against the Walt Disney Company she was “repeatedly raped, sexually assaulted, sexually abused and sexually harassed” on the Utah set of the 2001 movie. The House of Mouse knew about it and did nothing to stop the violence, the Quiet on Set: The Dark Side of Kids TV participant adds.
“John Doe (“Mr. Doe”), an on-set, adult, middle-aged, male employee of Disney who was involved in the filming of the movie,” the August 21 filing in LA Superior Court for the now Raquel Lee Boileau from NYC-based Wigdor LLP says with intentional vagueness about the alleged predator. “Mr. Doe’s sexual abuse of Ms. Boileau was apparent to the adults on Disney’s set. Defendant Disney repeatedly failed Ms. Boileau. Disney facilitated and concealed Mr. Doe’s severe sexual abuse of Ms. Boileau.”
“Disney’s set was not safe for children,” the unspecified “money judgement” seeking complaint states of what the 14-year-old Lee faced on the Mark Curry-led and Neal Israel-directed Disney Channel film. A case of kooky scientists (Hangin With Mr Copper’s Curry and Dawnn Lewis) their kids (Lee and Tahj Mowry), the time traveling Proof Point debuted on September 14, 2001.
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Claiming the “visibly disheveled” teen was also at the receiving end of tirades from Disney execs at the time over her performance, the filing strategically invokes the much accused, much convicted and Incarcerated Harvey Weinstein, among others. With the ex-Miramax kingpin in mind, the now nearly 40-year-old actress’ jury trial desiring filing adds: “This is not the first time that Disney has enabled a sexual predator to target and abuse vulnerable victims. Disney has a longstanding and horrifying history of protecting sexual abusers that began well before 2001-and continued after 2001.”
“Disney has caused irreparable and devastating harm, and must be held accountable,” the action claims for its client. “Defendant failed to use reasonable care in investigating the circumstances on set and did nothing to reasonably investigate, supervise or monitor and/or terminate Mr. Doe to ensure the safety of child actors,” it also bluntly says.
Contacted by Deadline, Disney today had no comment on the suit or the accusations within it. That’s not surprising all things litigious considered – even more so with the amount of time that has passed and people involved who are no longer at Disney.
In terms of a situation specific timeline, the first the Josh D’Aamaro-led company heard about this sordid case was back in June, sources say. That was when Doug Wigdor and Jame Kim approached Disney in the hopes of settling this out of court.
Clearly, the parties couldn’t reach a satisfactory deal.
What is also clear is that while Disney may or may not have first heard of the horrors Lee went through in 2001 just a few months ago, this four-claim action is not the first time the actress has had lawyers involved fallout from Poof Point.
Deadline has learned that in 2015 a Gloria Allred-represented Lee negotiated a confidential settlement for “a small amount of money” with a male who worked on Proof Point. The male in question was represented by Venable partner William Biggs, II.
Allred had no comment on any settlement or anything to do with it when contacted by Deadline. Biggs did not response to Deadline’s request for comment on that matter of over a decade ago.
Details of that settlement and the exact sum paid out are under lock and key – – hence likely the “John Doe “in this new civil complaint. However, the presence of Allred, well known for her work for sexual assault survivors, could be an indication of the nature of the core case back in 2015.
As for this latest action, the law has changed in Lee’s favor.
Whereas in the past Lee would have long exhausted the statute of limitations, under a 2020 California measure, survivors of childhood sexual abuse now have up until their 40th birthday to file a civil claim. Actually, an 2023 addition to that 2020 law removed any statute of limitations for civil claims of childhood sexual assault survivors that occurred on or after January 1, 2024.
Under the law as it stands now, a plaintiff can claims triple actual damages if it is proven a company (like Disney), institution or persons(s) were aware of the assaults and abuse and choose to conceal what was happening. A state of affairs that is precisely what Lee is saying Disney did in her case on Poof Point.
It is worth noting that former Real Husbands of Hollywood regular Raquel Lee Boileau has worked with Disney on several occasions since The Poof Point. She did voiceover on Disney+’s The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder. Debuting in 2022, the animated series was a revival of Disney Channel’s The Proud Family, which Raquel Lee Boileau was also on from 2001-2005.
Raquel Lee Boileau’s attorneys had nothing to say whatsoever today on any 2015 settlement, but they were not silent about what they filed this weekend.
“Over the last decade, countless child actors have come forward to bravely share their experiences of abuse by adults in entertainment,” said Doug Wigdor and Jane Kim. “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.”
It is also worth noting
