Jeffrey R. Epstein, Communications Vice President, Impacted By First Round of Layoffs at Disney

Earlier in 2023, Bob Iger announced that there would be 7,000 job cuts at Disney and now we’re seeing the impact on executives throughout the Company.

A number of individuals and sometimes entire departments have been told their time with Disney is up, and now the layoffs have hit a senior executive whose face and voice many Disney fans will likely recognize.

During a recent episode of the D23 Inside Disney podcast, one of the show’s co-hosts, Jeffrey R. Epstein, noted that his position had been cut at Disney as part of the initial wave of layoffs taking place within the company. Epstein shared, “My role is one of those which has been impacted by the layoffs here at Disney.”

He continued, “I have had a wonderful time here at Disney. And I hope my journey leads me back here someday…in the meantime, I’m still here for a bit and I’m looking forward to continuing to share the latest Disney news with all of you.”

"D23 Inside Disney" podcast is now live! Excited and honored to be a part of this fantastic crew— @CandiceOnAir & Sherry!
We're serving up Disney news and insider interviews. Hope you'll give it a listen! https://t.co/wy1gMEfsuL pic.twitter.com/6oUBdcIhUf

— Jeffrey R Epstein (@EpsteinJeffrey) August 29, 2019

In October 2008, Epstein joined the Walt Disney Company as a Senior Manager of Partnerships and Communications at D23: The Official Disney Fan Club. After serving in that role for a little over 7 years, Jeffrey became the Director of Corporate Communications. He was promoted to Vice President in 2021, according to his LinkedIn.

In this position, Epstein worked on a number of things including leading the development of corporate and crisis communications strategies, creating and co-hosting the D23 Inside Disney podcast, overseeing the social media and public relations teams for D23, establishing a global communications program for Disney, and more.

Jeffrey Epstein has a long history with Disney. Many years ago, he worked with Eddie Shapiro to found Gay Days at Disneyland.

Gay Days at Disneyland in Anaheim began 22 years ago, founded by Eddie Shapiro and Jeffrey Epstein. The event drew about 30,000 visitors last year. pic.twitter.com/NNfKlQS0gL

— Los Angeles Times (@latimes) May 28, 2019

Those who have been following Disney social media for a long time may also remember Epstein as the “Disney Geek” from an early Disney YouTube series.

But Epstein’s love for Disney goes back even further. According to a D23 article, in 1977 he went to Disney World for the first time and shared, “Within seconds, I was overwhelmed with this thrilling new world of possibilities. The dazzling colors, manicured landscaping, bright and brilliant music, the thrill of seeing my favorite stories come to life before my eyes.”

He continued, “I had seen Disney movies. I listened to my Disney read-along records on vinyl. I’d had a Mickey Mouse plush since I was two. But this was a different experience altogether. We may have traveled only 1,500 miles from Boston—and my playground bullies—but to me we had journeyed to another world, a much better one.”

Jeffrey Epstein (Director, Corporate Communications, Disney Geek)

He shared that he would “never forget that trip—or how, for a brief time, it pushed the pain of being bullied to a far off place. I was accepted for who I was. Watching the Fantasy in the Sky fireworks over Cinderella Castle, I told my parents, ‘I want to live here.’ I was home.”