Ashley Johnson Reveals Terrifying Kidnap Attempt During Growing Pains Filming

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Before she voiced iconic characters in Critical Role, The Last of Us, and countless animated series, Ashley Johnson faced a terrifying ordeal as a child star. The beloved voice actor recently shared a chilling account of a near-kidnapping on the set of the 90s sitcom Growing Pains. It happened during her very first year on the show, she revealed on her podcast, Weird Kids, co-hosted with Taliesin Jaffe.

Security on the Warner Bros lot was dramatically different then. Actors would walk past the studio audience, often within mere feet of fans. Johnson recalled a grim threat letter: "Somebody had written in and said that, 'I am coming to set and I am going to bring a gun and I am going to murder some of the cast.'"

Then, the unthinkable happened. While walking with her mother, a man suddenly "hops out of the line and he grabs me and grabs me up and starts booking it." Johnson, just a child, was reportedly confused, even politely asking, "Who are you, sir?" as she was carried away. The fan was high on an unknown substance and was packing a gun.

Thankfully, security intervened swiftly, apprehending the armed fan. Johnson was flung during the scuffle, her biggest concern afterward being that she might be "in trouble" herself. It's a stark, horrifying glimpse into the dangers child actors faced in a less secure era. Johnson's resilience shines through, making her subsequent rise as a voice acting powerhouse even more remarkable.