Skip to content
Search AI Powered

Latest Stories

Disney CEO Hits Back Against Accusations The Company Has Become 'Too Woke'

Disney CEO Hits Back Against Accusations The Company Has Become 'Too Woke'
David Livingston/Getty Images

He was asked at a Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference.

Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Chapek has responded to mounting criticism that the company's mass media and entertainment conglomerate has gone too far in being politically correct.

When asked if Disney has become "too woke" Chapek asserted that the company will reflect the “rich, diverse world we live in.”


Disney has received a lot of heat from conservatives and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis after the company called on Florida's legislature in a tweet to repeal the state's anti-LGBTQ+ "Parental Rights in Education" bill–a.k.a. "Don't Say Gay" bill.

The leader in the animation industry also incurred backlash for restoring a previously deleted same-sex kiss scene in the movie Lightyear and for casting a Black actress as Ariel in the upcoming live-action film, The Little Mermaid.

At Wednesday's Wall Street Journal Tech Live conference, Chapek responded to accusations of Disney being "too woke"

"I think the more complex something is, the more you really have to drill down into the basics. And we want our content to reflect the rich, diverse world that we live in.


He continued:

"And, again, I guess that’s another way of saying, ‘Catering to your audience.’ But the world is a rich, diverse place and we want our content to reflect that."
"And we’re so blessed to have the greatest content creators and they see it similarly.”

Chapek stressed that inclusivity was something Disney will continue to strive for to fulfill its goal of bringing people together.


He used visiting Disney parks as an example to illustrate how this is already being achieved.

“I always say, when someone walks down Main Street and look at the castle, you’re not thinking ‘I’m on one side of the political spectrum or the other.’"
"You have a shared belief in all the wonderful aspects of what Disney is. I want to use Disney to bring people together, and I think we’ll do that by diverse stories and diverse characters.”

The audience had plenty to say in regard to accusations of Disney being "woke."









The company was initially slammed by its employees and others in the entertainment industry–especially for Chapek's silence and reluctance to get politically involved leading up to the passage of the "Don't Say Gay" bill that was eventually approved by the legislature in March.

Upon reflection, the situation made Chapek realize he needed to prioritize the needs of Disney employees with every decision.

"We were reminded, through the passion of our cast reaction, how important their sentiments are on these issues in terms of making them feel that they were part of The Walt Disney Company," he said.

More from Entertainment/tv-and-movies

Screenshots from Dove's ad featuring transgender women
Dove

'One Million Moms' Calls For Dove Boycott Over Hair Care Ad Featuring Trans Woman

The vehemently transphobic conservative group One Million Moms (OMM)—an arm of the Christian fundamentalist nonprofit American Family Association (AFA)—called for a boycott of Dove products after the company featured a transgender woman in an advertisement for their Damage Therapy Intensive Repair Conditioner.

The ad garnered attention after it was shared by the social media account Libs of TikTok—run by the anti-LGBTQ+ conservative Chaya Raichik—which described the ad as an example of "another woke company trying to erase women."

Keep ReadingShow less
Alyssa Milano; Julian McMahon
Michael Kovac/Elton John AIDS Foundation/Getty Images; Marcus Ingram/The Surfer/Getty Images

Alyssa Milano Shares Poignant Tribute To 'TV Husband' Julian McMahon After His Death At 56

Actor Julian McMahon lost his battle with cancer at the age of 56 earlier this week, and to say that the Charmed, Nip/Tuck, and Fantastic Four actor touched many lives would be an understatement.

When the news of McMahon's passing went public, his Charmed costar and "TV wife" Alyssa Milano came forward and expressed her sadness and condolences on Instagram. The pair were a favorite couple on Charmed, and it was clear from her post that their care for each other extended beyond the screen.

Keep ReadingShow less

People Who Slept With Their Best Friend Describe The Aftermath

When two people have a deep and meaningful friendship, the question might eventually come up of whether or not they could be more. Agreeing that their friendship might deserve more, they might try to date or at least explore physical intimacy.

But crossing that line carries with it consequences, and it's only once the pair crosses that line that they'll find out if crossing it was good or bad.

Keep ReadingShow less
child writing on chalkboard
Leonardo Toshiro Okubo on Unsplash

Bilingual People Explain Which Words They're Surprised Don't Exist In English

According to one report, approximately 3.3 billion people worldwide—43 % of the population—are multilingual, meaning they speak at least two languages. According to the last Census, 21.6% of people in the United States speak more than one language, while in the United Kingdom, the number is 36%.

More multilingual people speak English as a second language than English speakers who have learned another language besides English. Worldwide, people who learned English as a first language rate among the lowest in multilingual rates.

Keep ReadingShow less
Andrew Garfield at the 2025 Glastonbury Festival
Harry Durrant/Getty Images

Andrew Garfield meets fan with wild tweet!

American actor Andrew Garfield had a funny yet awkward reunion with a fan from a viral “Thirst Tweet” featured on Buzzfeed Celeb.

The Thirst Tweet compilation shows celebrities reading a collection of scandalous tweets from fans commenting on their looks, attractiveness, and sex appeal. Blushing stars include James McAvoy, Renee Rapp, Keanu Reeves, Anthony Mackie, and more recently, Brad Pitt and Javier Bardem, as they promote F1 the Movie that was released in theaters last week.

Keep ReadingShow less