Abigail Disney believes ‘there’s a moral disconnect’ at Disney

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Filmmaker Abigail Disney has a lot to say about current management at the company that bears her name. She thinks if Disney, solid as the brand is, doesn’t change its behavior towards low-wage workers, it risks losing everything. Photo by Michael Angelo.

Abigail Disney's father was Walt’s nephew Roy, who led a successful shareholder revolt in 2004. Roy was fed up with then-Disney chairman Michael Eisner's management and Abigail helped him lead the charge. 

She still keeps close tabs on the company that bears her family’s name, and she has lots to say about current management, including executive chairman Bob Iger, who she compares to Ebenezer Scrooge. 

Why speak out? Abigail Disney says, “A little tiny part of me sees this as an extension of my father’s work. Because I don’t believe the company and the magic can survive this kind of corporate behavior.”

In the course of the pandemic, 32,000 Disney workers have lost their jobs. Meanwhile, executive salaries were restored to pre-COVID levels in August. 

In this first of a two-part interview, Abigail Disney explains where she thinks Disney has gone wrong. In an upcoming episode, she shares what it was like to grow up with the Disney name. 

Credits

Host:

Kim Masters

Producer:

Kaitlin Parker