Rob Lowe Accuses Babysitter of Extortion

(Getty Images)

Eighties hearthrob Rob Lowe is accusing a former family babysitter of trying to extort money from him in exchange for keeping her mouth shut about her life with the actor's family. Talk about the Nanny Diaries!

On Monday, the actor and his wife, Sheryl, filed a lawsuit in L.A. Superior Court, claiming their former babysitter, Laura Boyce, violated a strict confidentiality agreement and spread "malicious lies" about their family, a "Betrayal that reaches far beyond possibly marring the Lowe's image in the public eye."

Earlier today, Lowe wrote a blog for the Huffington Post, claiming the woman was demanding $1.5 million from the actor and his wife, Sheryl, "or she will accuse us both of a vicious laundry list of false terribles."

"It is an attempt to damage and humiliate not only my wife and me, but our two young sons as well," Lowe, 44, writes in the article titled "Household Betrayal."

Lowe continues, "My family is devastated at this betrayal; this woman worked in our home and traveled with us off and on for seven years, without complaint."

The actor then posts what he claims are two friendly text messages from the woman after she quit her job. He adds, "My wife tried to mentor this young woman" and be supportive about personal issues, but "we never saw this coming."

Rob Lowe is currently one of the stars of the ABC hit drama Brothers & Sisters.