Award-winning actor and director Timothy Busfield made his first court appearance in New Mexico today after surrendering on serious charges involving minors. He's accused of abusing two young child actors on the set of 'The Cleaning Lady' back in 2022, and now faces an additional allegation from years ago. While held without bond, his team is firing back with a passed polygraph and claims of revenge.
Oh honey, the Hollywood tea just got scalding hot! 🔥 Timothy Busfield, the Emmy darling from 'The West Wing,' shuffled into a New Mexico courtroom on January 14, 2026, shackled and rocking that unflattering orange jumpsuit. For his brief debut, the judge ordered him held without bond, with another hearing slated for later this month. Prosecutors lay out the mess: in 2022, while directing episodes of 'The Cleaning Lady' in Albuquerque, Busfield allegedly sexually abused two boy actors, aged 7 and 8 at the time. The parents didn't report it to local police until two years later, sparking this criminal probe.
But wait, there's shade from the defense! Busfield's civil lawyer, Larry Stein, spilled to TMZ that there's a revenge plot brewing. According to the complaint, an on-set actress overheard the boys' mom vowing payback after her twins got axed from the show's final season. Warner Bros. stepped in with their own sleuthing—an independent probe by attorney Christina McGovern, who grilled about a dozen folks and found zilch. "I found no corroborating evidence that Mr. Busfield engaged in inappropriate conduct or that he was ever alone with the twins on set," McGovern told TMZ. And get this: Stein says Busfield voluntarily took a lie detector test and passed it flying colors. "Tim Busfield denies the allegations... and maintains they are completely false," Stein added. Busfield himself is adamant: "I did not do anything to those little boys" and vows to "confront these lies."
Enter the crew whispers—hair and makeup artist Danielle Vigil told cops in December 2025 she saw Busfield kiss two replacement child actors on the foreheads in a trailer, parents present but clueless on set etiquette. She called him "creepy," and everyone dodged him, fearing industry backlash for speaking out. Busfield downplayed it: "It’s not allowed at all... I’m always around people, right?" On possible tickling? "I don’t remember overtly tickling the boys ever but it wouldn’t be uncommon for me."
Twist! Court docs dropped a fresh bombshell yesterday: a dad claims Busfield kissed and groped his 16-year-old daughter years back in Sacramento, California. Under New Mexico law, that polygraph might even make it to trial—if the judge buys its reliability.
So, is this a witch hunt or the unraveling of a once-shiny career? Spill your thoughts, darlings—Hollywood's holding its breath. 👀
