Chapek said that he first refrained from commenting on the law in an effort to strike a compromise between the needs of Disney’s staff and its patrons and prevent the media behemoth from being embroiled in the political turmoil the measure provoked.
‘What we try to do is be everything to everybody,’ Chapek told The Hollywood Reporter in a recent interview, ‘That tends to be very difficult because we’re The Walt Disney Company.’
‘We certainly don’t want to get caught up in any political subterfuge, but at the same time we also realize that we want to represent a brighter tomorrow for families of all types, regardless of how they define themselves,’ he said.
Chapek landed in hot water last spring when he took no public stance on the Don’t Say Gay bill, which barred schools from discussing sexuality or gender with children between kindergarten and third grade.
According to an internal memo circulated at the time, Chapek felt the company could better advocate for inclusivity through its content and by working with legislators behind the scenes.
The memo’s revelations were met with outrage by Disney staff, who called Chapek’s decision weak and disappointing. Chapek later apologized in March, publicly decried the bill, announced Disney had paused all its political donations within Florida.
Disney CEO Bob Chapek said he initially chose not to speak out against Florida’s Don’t Say Gay bill to balance the needs of customers and employees
Chapek landed in hot water last spring when he took no public stance on Ron DeSantis’ Don’t Say Gay bill, which barred schools from discussing sexuality or gender with children between kindergarten and third grade
Asked whether he had won back the staff’s trust since the fray last spring, Chapek explained the complex situation he faced when the bill began to gain momentum.
‘These are complex social issues where we absolutely, positively want to represent the needs and the expectations of our cast members,’ he said, ‘But we also realize that sometimes in such a divided world, there’s not alignment between what possibly large constituencies of our guest and consumer base are looking for.’
‘When you’re a lightning rod for clicks and for political podium speeches, the essence of our brand can be misappropriated or misused to try to fit the needs of any one particular group’s agenda.’
Chapek explained he wanted Disney to be brand that could ‘rise above’ the political fray, and serve as a beacon of optimism and harmony in the world.
‘We want to rise above that. We believe Disney is a place where people can come together with shared values of what an optimistic and ideal future can be,’ he said.
Pressed further on whether the Disney staff felt those sentiments from him, Chapek said he thought they did, and that the spring controversy had strengthened the Disney ‘family.’
‘We are a very cohesive, big, happy family. I think our staff saw how I stood firm during the ultimate barrage of attacks from certain political constituencies.’
‘Frankly, I think it was much stronger and much longer and much harder than they ever could have imagined and we stood our ground, he added, ‘So I think it’s safe to say that actions speak louder than words, and they saw resiliency and consistency no matter how strong the attacks.’
After Chapek announced the halting of Florida political donations in his apology, Florida governor Ron DeSantis responded by beginning the legislative process of stripping away Disney’s special zoning status – known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District
Reedy Creek was established in 1967 after negotiations between Disney and the Florida government. It established Disney as a special jurisdiction, allowing it to govern itself similarly to a state county
After Chapek announced the halting of Florida political donations in his apology, Florida governor Ron DeSantis responded by beginning the legislative process of stripping away Disney’s special zoning status – known as the Reedy Creek Improvement District.
Reedy Creek comprises Disney World and its surrounding properties. Disney and the Florida government founded it as an independent jurisdiction 55-years ago, allowing Disney to operate as a county government does. It is run by a board selected by Disney and other companies on the land.
After DeSantis sudden decision, residents of the surrounding counties which would absorb Reedy Creeks debt sued the government,
But Disney quickly hit back at DeSantis, saying that there is a clause in its original contract that stipulates state or local governments will be responsible for its $1 billion bond debt when it is dissolved.
DeSantis said his proposal for the dissolution of Reedy Creek would be ready by the November elections.
In the interview Chapek also addressed the lawsuit between Disney and actress Scarlett Johansson
Disney and Johansson settled the lawsuit in the fall of 2021, and Chapek told the Hollywood Reporter their relationship was better than ever now
In the interview Chapek also addressed the lawsuit between Disney and actress Scarlett Johansson, who sued Disney for a breach of contract arguing the company sacrificed the box office earnings of her movie Black Widow by releasing it early on Disney+ to promote the streaming service.
Disney and Johansson settled the lawsuit in the fall of 2021, and Chapek told the Hollywood Reporter their relationship was better than ever now.
‘There were a lot of people that got a vote in how we handled that,’ he said, ‘And I was one voice, and I’ll just say that our relationship with her agency and her has never been better.’