Ashley Johnson, known for her role as Chrissy Seaver on the sitcom "Growing Pains," has revealed a disturbing childhood experience where an armed fan attempted to abduct her during a live taping of the show. Johnson recounted the incident on the "Weird Kids" podcast, describing how lax security in the early 1990s contributed to the terrifying event.
At the age of 7, Johnson was walking from her trailer to the studio with her mother when the incident occurred. The show had received a threat warning that someone planned to bring a gun to the set, but security measures were minimal. Cast members would walk past audience members before entering the studio, a vulnerability that allowed the fan to approach Johnson.
"Somebody had written in and said that ‘I am coming to set, and I am going to bring a gun … I am going to murder some of the cast,’" Johnson said on the podcast. "So, I'm walking with my mom, and then I just remember some guy hops out of the line, and he grabs me… grabs me up and starts booking it."
Johnson recalled being lifted and carried away, but security intervened and apprehended the suspect. The man was reportedly under the influence of an unknown substance. Although Johnson was too young to fully comprehend the danger at the time, she later understood the severity of the situation.
"He was packing. They got him. This was the thing. He was high on something. It wasn't meth, but it was something — like, he was so strong," she said. "I was clueless as to what was happening, but I was very upset, and they were talking to me about it after. And they were like, ‘Are you okay?’ … And I just said, ‘I just think I'm going to be in trouble.’"
Johnson joined "Growing Pains" in 1990. The show, which also starred Alan Thicke, Joanna Kerns, Kirk Cameron, Tracey Gold, and Jeremy Miller, concluded in 1992. Leonardo DiCaprio was also a cast member in the later seasons. Johnson has since had a prominent career in both television and voice acting, most notably for her role as Ellie in "The Last of Us" video game franchise and its HBO adaptation.