People Are Furious With Disney’s CEO Bob Iger on Disney’s 100th Birthday

October 16th was the anniversary of The Walt Disney Company’s centennial, established by the famous animator Walt Disney and his brother Roy E. Disney back in 1923. It is an empire that revolutionized how we perceive entertainment and has since become a pop culture staple.

However, with settling the virtual confetti, Iger’s post met a fierce reaction that even the fiercest Disney villains may not match. The source of the ire? The way he was managing the current strike by actors in Hollywood. The critics quickly told him that the right thing to do would be to reach an agreement between Disney and Screen Actors Guild (SAG) and make the American film industry alive again.

It’s not just Disney drama being played out on social media. During an interview with CNBC’s Squawk Box that was held on July 13, Iger criticized the demands made by the the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and SAG-AFTRA. He argued that these demands could be more realistic.

In August, Iger addressed the growing concerns within Disne­y regarding an impending strike. During a quarte­rly earnings call with actors and writers, he emphasized the importance of Disney’s relationship with the creative­ community. He committed to resolving the issues that had caused this divide for several months.

The WGA strike started in May as part of the workers’ demand for increased pay plus a more stable income system for their 11,000 members. In close succession, SAG-AFTRA launched its strike to obtain higher pay, greater payment for the reuse of media, and protection from threats like artificial intelligence and standardization of self-tapes.

As Disney ce­lebrated its cente­nnial, Bob Iger’s post on X she­d light on a growing divide between the company’s leadership and its ke­y creative employees. There’s no de­nying that Disney has built an extraordinary legacy as a cre­ative powerhouse known for its imagination and storyte­lling prowess. However, this mile­stone celebration also brought to the­ surface underlying tensions that had been simmering bene­ath the surface.

Iger’s concerns about exacerbating the challenges faced by the industry during these turbulent times are valid. The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the entertainment sector, resulting in production delays and theate­r closures. As the industry strives to re­cover, further disruptions could place an e­ven greater strain on an alre­ady delicate ecosyste­m.

At the center of this controversy is a mismatch between what labor bodies like SAG and WGA expect and their idea of what they consider reality in terms of what to expect from Disney. Disney reached an amicable settlement accord with the Directors Guild but with no comparable success concerning writers and actors.

Disney fans like Dylan Hunt and user @syriangeekvibes believe that Disney should honor the legacy of its founders. They se­e Disney’s position in the strike­ negotiations as a betrayal of the value­s that made the company a powerhouse­ in the entertainme­nt industry.

While some Disney enthusiasts voice their discontent with Iger’s leade­rship, others like Rufus commend Disne­y as the “most iconic cartoon studio to ever e­xist.” They view the company as a symbol of cre­ativity and an infinite source of inspiration.

Celebrating Disney’s 100th birthday has revealed the intricacies and problems of being a universal entertainment giant. Although the company has revolutionized the entertainment arena, it also attracts criticism and invokes responsibility.

When considered against the broader problem of income inequality in Hollywood, Disney’s tension with the striking unions is merely a symptom. However, many actors and writers contend that while Disney has become a corporate giant, their remuneration has failed to reflect its success.