CEO Bob Chapek Was Asked If Disney Is “Too Woke.” Here’s What He Said

Disney has been heavily criticized over the past few years in all kinds of directions — for being “too woke,” for not taking a strong enough stand on certain issues, or simply for staying silent amidst political turbulence.

This became a particularly big issue with Florida’s Parental Rights in Education Law (what critics called the “Don’t Say Gay” law). Disney initially didn’t take a strong stance with respect to the law (which led to some employee walkouts), but later changed its tune, with CEO Bob Chapek ultimately apologizing for not being a better ally. Disney’s opposition to the law then led to backlash from political leaders and others. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Disney has also faced backlash due to a same-sex kiss in a film and other things. So, is Disney “too woke?” What does Chapek think? We’ve got some insight from the CEO himself.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek recently sat down with the Wall Street Journal Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray for an interview on all kinds of topics including the upcoming Disney membership program which some have described as being similar to Amazon prime, Disney’s content, and other matters.

During the interview, Murray noted that one of the things seen in our “volatile” and “divided” world is that Disney can become a “political football,” potentially because people are so passionate about the brand. He shared that Disney wants to “reflect changes” and reach “all kinds of families,” but Disney also “gets blowback.” Murray specifically pointed out how Lightyear was banned in certain countries due to a same-sex kiss between some of the characters.

Murray said that some people say that Disney is “too woke” or that Disney has become too politically correct. He then asked Chapek, “Are they right? Do they have a point? What’s your take on those criticisms and reaching that wide span of people?”

In response, Chapek shared, “I think the more complex something is, the more you have to really drill down into the basics.” He went on to note, “we want our content to reflect the rich, diverse world that we live in.”

Chapek shared, “I guess that’s another way of saying ‘catering to your audience’…the world is a rich, diverse place and we want our content to reflect that. And we’re so blessed to have the greatest content creators and they see it similarly.”

Chapek also pointed out that this is good from a commercial standpoint because it allows Disney to appeal to the largest possible audience. 

But it goes beyond just catering to the audience. It seems that for Chapek, this goes to the core of what Disney stands for. “We live in a world now where everything seems to…be polarized…but…we want Disney to stand for bringing people together,” Chapek said.

Chapek continued, “When someone walks down Main Street and you look at the Castle, you’re not thinking, you know, I’m on one side of the political spectrum or the other, you have a shared belief in all the wonderful aspects of what Disney is. And we want to use Disney to bring people together and I think we’ll do that by diverse stories and diverse characters.”

Murray went on to ask what Chapek’s role is in the storytelling. Chapek said that they talk about shaping their content a lot, but in the end, he said that they need to follow their “north star” which is storytelling and catering to the audiences that actually love Disney.

Murray sealed the deal by asking “to be clear, you don’t think that Disney’s too woke?” To which Chapek responded, “I think Disney is a company that has survived for 100 years by catering to its audience and it’s going to thrive the next 100 years by catering to its audience.”

So what are the big takeaways here? For starters, Chapek has in the past and continues to put a BIG emphasis on Disney focusing on its audience. Chapek has noted in the past that things like price increases will all depend on the actions of the audience (i.e. whether they keep coming to the park as prices go up) and it seems like content decisions are heavily focused on audiences too.

Chapek also gave some insight into what appears to be a “core value” for the Disney Company — bringing people together. He noted that this is what Disney should stand for, and how telling diverse stories can help them do that.

We’ve seen diversity implemented in all kinds of ways within the Disney parks and within Disney’s films over the last several years — whether that’s in the form of mannequins seated in wheelchairs, park maps that show guests with limb differences, or stories that feature characters from more diverse backgrounds.

But, as Murray noted, Disney continues to face criticism. Protestors have reportedly shouted “boycott Disney” with respect to the Company’s actions in response to LGBTQ+ topics, and a number of things took place after Disney spoke out against the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, including the passage of a bill that will dissolve Disney’s Reedy Creek District.

How will Disney navigate hot-button political issues in the future? Will it continue to be called “too woke?” What criticisms will individuals from both sides raise against the Company and how will Disney’s leaders respond? Only time will tell.

To see more about what Chapek had to say about the Amazon Prime-like membership being developed for Disney+, click here.

Want more updates about Chapek’s views when it comes to streaming, the Disney company, and more? Check out our articles below:

• Bob Chapek reveals who’s REALLY in control of Disney
• Chapek shares that no other entertainment company can touch Disney’s content
• See how Chapek wants to bring Disney World to everyone
• Why Chapek knows “everything you do” in Disney World

To watch more of the interview with Bob Chapek and The Wall Street Journal, check out the video below.

Disney CEO Bob Chapek joins WSJ Editor in Chief Matt Murray at #WSJTechLive to discuss his vision for the company https://t.co/fNo2JGfJz4 https://t.co/gultJWmZ5S

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) October 26, 2022

Stay tuned for more Disney news.

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