She starred in Suddenly 30 and Revenge. Then a cult leader 'burnt her life to the ground.'

It's been just over 20 years since Christa B. Allen starred as the teenage version of Jennifer Garner in the iconic rom-com Suddenly 30, and 10 years since she appeared on our TV screens in the hit series Revenge.

Thrust into the spotlight from the tender age of 11, the actress, now 33, has shared a story about a dark chapter of her own life — one she says nearly destroyed her.

In a TikTok posted on August 28, Allen shared details about her experience in a cult.

Watch: Christa B. Allen explains she escaped a cult. Post continues after video.

"How it feels re-building your life after being in love with a charismatic wealthy cult leader who burned it to the ground," she wrote, while spinning in a grass field wearing a dress and boots.

Allen continued: "Let me be very clear: nobody can burn down your life unless you give them access to it. That's the part I've had to own.

"So I've sat with the hardest questions: why did I trust him? Why did I hand over my power? Why did I silence my own inner knowing? The truth is, he was selling fairytales and from luxurious penthouses and private jets, I foolishly bought in."

The actress went on to say that no matter how much time you spend with a person, you may never truly "know" them.

"What I learned is that even if you spend every waking moment with someone — studying, eating, traveling [sic], working, building, dreaming — you still may not KNOW them. Especially when you're dealing with someone who lies as easily as they breathe. That realization [sic] shattered me, but it also forced me to rebuild from the ground up. And fire is also cleansing."

Allen ended the video with a promise of more information to come.

"One day I'll share the full story, but for now I'm walking forward with feet on solid ground and a heart that knows its strength."

Christa B. Allen, with her Revenge co-stars Emily VanCamp and Ashley Madekwe. Image: Getty.

The comments under the video were a blend of curiosity and support.

One person wrote: "Girl, I had a gut feeling something was off, and I'm so glad you're out of it and finding your way back to yourself!!! I've been a follower from the beginning and wish you all the best!"

This video wasn't the first time Allen appeared to allude to the relationship.

A week earlier, on August 19, she wrote on TikTok: "When the 'spiritual' guy you were dating forced you to quit your job because he promised to take care of you… then left you with zero income while cheating and sleeping around with countless women while lying about it all… But then you remember — he knows the laws of the universe, and the universe don't miss."

When fans expressed concern about the situation, Allen reassured them that, despite what she described as a "truly horrendous" experience, she is doing "amazing now."

The actress hasn't named the man she was involved with, nor has she shared details about the alleged cult. 

Her videos follow her move back to Los Angeles, California, after three years in Miami, Florida, where she had been completing a "soul mission."

Recently, Allen's star has grown on social media, with the actress garnering 1.8 million followers on TikTok. She has previously gone viral for recreating her character of "young Jenna Rink".

We all remember the moment a 13-year-old Jenna Rink locks herself in a wardrobe after being humiliated at her birthday party. Here, she wishes to be "30, flirty and thriving". As some magic dust falls onto her, Jenna's wish is granted.

The message of the film was clear: the choices you make and the people you surround yourself with shape who you become, and it's never too late to change course if you don't like what you see.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by 90.9 Sea FM (@909seafm)

Reflecting on her breakout role, Allen told PEOPLE in 2024 that Suddenly 30 "will forever live on as both a rom-com classic and a cinematic love letter to the power of manifestation".

After Suddenly 30, Allen went on to star as Charlotte Grayson in the ABC drama series Revenge.

She also appeared in a number of TV movies across the 2010s and 2020s, including Christmas for Keeps and Meet Me in Rome, and made guest appearances on popular series like Grey's Anatomy, CSI, and Baby Daddy.

In 2009, Allen reunited with her former co-star Jennifer Garner to, again, play her younger version in Ghosts of Girlfriends Past.

The actress also credited Garner for shaping her early years in Hollywood, telling PEOPLE: "She treated me with such kindness and care, always.

"I am grateful to have had such a wonderful experience with her so early on in my career as she has since remained a great example of a person with true character and integrity in Hollywood."

But while audiences saw her smiling on screen, behind the cameras Allen was grappling with something far more sinister, a relationship she says drew her into the grip of a cult.

Now, Allen seems intent on turning her past pain into resilience, and her followers are watching as she begins, in her own words, to rebuild "with feet on solid ground and a heart that knows its strength."

Feature Image: TikTok/@christaallen/Getty