Credit: Inside the MagicAs the WAG/SAG-AFTRA strike continues to rage on, the execs and studio heads are quickly losing traction in Hollywood, but one of the most uttered names among the shouting is none other than Bob Iger. As the head of one of the biggest multimedia corporations in the world, the head of the Walt Disney Company has made himself a prolific figure in the entertainment industry, and one of the biggest targets as well.
Although he began this year as Disney’s only hope after the fall of Bob Chapek, Bob Iger has quickly taken a headlong dive into a fall from grace. His recent comments about the terms from the striking actors and writers have won him the ire of not just his own employees, but icons of the industry like Bryan Cranston have joined in the fight.
Walter White Vs. Mickey Mouse: Cranston Calls Out Iger
During the early weeks of the strike, Iger made a statement regarding the current “business environment.” While on a so-called “retreat for billionaires,” the CEO of the Walt Disney Company said,
“I respect their right and their desire to get as much as they possibly can in compensation for their people… But you also have to be realistic about the business environment and what this business can deliver. It is and has been a great business for all of these people and it will continue to be even through disruptive times. But, being realistic is imperative here.”
Iger really hasn’t been winning too many friends in the wake of the strike, but to have stars like Ron Perlman and Sean Gunn outright threaten him is a turn most weren’t likely expecting. However, they aren’t the only ones to pick a fight directly with the Disney CEO.
Bryan Cranston, speaking at a SAG-AFTRA strike rally, delivered a message addressed to Bob Iger:
“I know, sir, that you look at things through a different lens. We don’t expect you to understand who we are. But we ask you to hear us…”
— Scott Gustin (@ScottGustin) July 25, 2023
In a tweet shared by @ScottGustin, Bryan Cranston (Breaking Bad and Malcom in the Middle) made a point of speaking directly to the CEO at a recent SAG-AFTRA rally. Cranston stated,
“I know, sir, that you look at things through a different lens. We don’t expect you to understand who we are. But we ask you to hear us, and beyond that to listen to us when we tell you we will not be having our jobs taken away and given to robots, we will not have you take away our right to work and earn a decent living, and lastly and most importantly, we will not allow you to take away our dignity!”
The Breaking Bad star is only one of many enthusiastic voices leading the charge for better conditions for actors, writers, and other creatives who make movies magical, but Iger and those that share his position need a tremendous wakeup call. If things continue spiraling in the trajectory they are, Disney and more could be brought to their knees.
Do you think more actors will join in the fray? Tell Inside the Magic in the comments below!