Ashley Johnson has shared a chilling memory from her childhood on the set of ‘Growing Pains,’ where she was nearly abducted by an armed fan. The incident occurred during a live taping when Johnson was just 7 years old, amid threats that someone planned to bring a gun to the studio, she said on the ‘Weird Kids’ podcast.
Johnson explained that security measures at the time were less strict than they are today. She recalled cast members walking directly past audience members into the studio, often through trailers that resembled old camper trailers. Audience members stood within five feet of the cast as they entered the set.
She said a fan, who had written a threatening message promising to bring a gun and harm cast members, lunged toward her as she walked with her mother. Johnson described being grabbed by the man and being carried away before security intervened and subdued him. She noted that the man was under the influence of a substance, which made him unusually strong.
Johnson said she was too young at the time to understand the danger fully. She remembered feeling upset and confused afterward but did not initially grasp the severity of the situation. She described the suspect as high on an unknown substance, and she noted that security was able to detain him after a struggle.
Having joined ‘Growing Pains’ in 1990 as Chrissy Seaver, Johnson went on to have a successful career in television and voice acting. She is known for her role as Ellie in the ‘Last of Us’ video game series and as Ellie’s mother in HBO’s adaptation.
Jon Ross Myers is the executive editor and publisher of the Mississippi News Network, Mississippi's largest digital only media company. He can be reached at editor@tippahnews.com
