Statement Against Bullying and Harassment Signed by Disney, Warner Bros, and More

From signing a letter in support of the U.S. Respect for Marriage Act to the situation with the Reedy Creek Improvement District, Disney’s name has been in the news over the past several months for matters that go beyond the realm of theme park rides.

The Walt Disney Animation Studios in Burbank, California | ©️Disney

When it comes to movies and tv, Disney has also been in the news surrounding Disney+’s ad-supported tier, the Black Widow contract lawsuit, and more. Now, Disney has taken another action when it comes to its tv offerings, but this time it relates to the TV cast, crew, and bullying.

According to a post from Equity, a union that represents over 40,000 performers and “creative practitioners,” a Statement of Commitment Against Bullying, Harassment and Inappropriate Behaviour in TV has been launched. Various companies signed up to commit to the things agreed to in the statement. Those companies include Disney, Warner Bros, AMC, Apple TV+, BBC, Paramount, and others.

The full statement indicates that a group of individuals who represent those involved in the “working life cycle of actors” met to talk about how people can create a respectful workplace.

During that meeting, various groups were in attendance, including representatives from Equity, UK broadcasters, a media law firm, and more. That group discussed and agreed on certain things.

Specifically, they agreed that there should be professional recruitment standards and that auditions should be “undertaken in appropriate workplaces.” They also agreed that there should be information shared with cast and crew members about how concerns about inappropriate behavior can be raised, anti-bullying and harassment training for crew and cast conducted before they start work, and more.

Burbank Disney Company Headquarters ©️LA Times

The Statement of Commitment also discusses having trained members of the team who can make adjustments, notifications provided in advance for scenes involving nudity, intimacy co-ordinators for certain scenes if acceptable to the actors, and clear respect at work policies.

The statement notes that it is “intrinsic to successful production” that they all work toward a culture where everyone “feels able to call out unacceptable behavior and that nobody is above being challenged: no one is untouchable.”

©Equity

According to Deadline, the policies are similar to some that the BBC has in place, which were updated last year. Deadline also points out that while Disney and other major studios have signed up to this Commitment, Netflix and Amazon have not.

Lynda Rooke, the president of Equity, said, “to establish an inclusive and respectful culture requires actions not just words, and I encourage all those working in this sector to recognise their individual responsibility to report inappropriate behaviour and unite against any pressure to remain silent on these issues.”

This commitment comes not long after one actor made comments about intimacy co-ordinators that drew criticism, and after the BBC reportedly “landed itself in hot water” for utilizing a production company that was revealed to have at least a dozen complaints against its owners, including some for bullying.

We’ll continue to keep an eye out for more news on this situation and let you know what we find. You can click here to see what one Marvel actor did in response to a little kid reaching out to him about being bullied at school. Stay tuned for more news.