When Bob Iger made his return to CEO of The Walt Disney Company in November 2022, many fans saw it as a step toward stability. Fast forward to today, and the mood has shifted. While Disney navigates a post-pandemic landscape, the entertainment industry continues to wrestle with a significant issue: workers’ pay.
In 2025, Hollywood has continued to recover from the 2023 labor strikes, when the Writers Guild of America (WGA) and the Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) pushed for better compensation and working conditions.
Related: Abigail Disney Called Out Bob Iger’s Current Controversy Years Ago
Writers and actors have long argued that the wages they earn have not kept pace with the rising cost of living or the increasing revenue of major studios. Meanwhile, industry leaders, including Bob Iger, continue to earn massive salaries, with Iger’s annual pay package reported to be around $41.1 million in 2024 alone.
This stark disparity has fueled the ongoing conversation about fairness in Hollywood. In 2023, when Iger commented that the union actions were “disturbing” and that actors and writers should be “more realistic,” the backlash was swift.
High-profile figures like Marvel star Sean Gunn voiced their displeasure, and many fans took to social media to draw comparisons between Iger and one of Disney’s iconic villains: Hopper from A Bug’s Life (1998).
Disney’s Accidental Pro-Union Propaganda
In Pixar’s classic film, Hopper, the leader of a gang of grasshoppers, runs a protection racket against the ants. Flik, the hero of the story, stands up to him, shouting, “Ants don’t serve grasshoppers! It’s you who need us.” This message resonated with fans during the strikes, drawing a parallel between Hollywood’s underpaid workers (the ants) and the powerful executives (the grasshoppers).
Bob Iger really giving off those Hopper from A Bug’s Life vibes
Bob Iger really giving off those Hopper from A Bug’s Life vibes https://t.co/zvZrV43vK7 pic.twitter.com/GX119OVpdS
— christian torres (@CTpunk) July 13, 2023
Fans noted how Disney rarely highlights A Bug’s Life, with some speculating that its “pro-union” message might be part of the reason. The comparison between the fictional grasshoppers and Iger’s role as a powerful industry leader sparked even more attention on the disparity between executive pay and that of writers and actors.
One Twitter user shared that “studios and streamers reportedly have no intentions of negotiating with the Writers Guild for several more months,” quoting a key moment from A Bug’s Life: “Remember when the ants realized there were more of them than the grasshoppers?”
While the strike itself may have concluded, the sentiments expressed during that time still echo.
Though a revolution in the style of A Bug’s Life may be an extreme vision, it’s clear that the message of the film—acknowledging the strength of the collective workers—resonates with the current Hollywood situation.
In the eyes of many, the workers are integral to the industry’s success, and studios like Disney would do well to remember that the strength of their business lies in the creativity and labor of the many. Bob Iger’s successor, whoever you may be – take note.
Do you see the similarities between A Bug’s Life and the ongoing strikes? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!