Former CEO of Disney Bob ChapekThe attempt to rewrite his disastrous tenure at the top of the studio isn’t causing panic inside the Mouse House, we hear. The impending release of Chapek’s memoir, “Behind Castle Walls,” on Tuesday is considered “a bit of a yawn,” a Disney insider told Page Six Hollywood.
“The Chapek thing is done and dusted from (Disney’s) point of view,” the source tells us – adding that internally, the tome is seen more as an anti-Bob Iger screed.
The book chronicles the entertainment executive’s perspective on his chaotic and ultimately unsuccessful three-year tenure as Disney CEO – as well as his own “hero’s journey,” rising from small-town Indiana to one of Hollywood’s most prestigious jobs.
In the book, seen by Page Six Hollywood, Chapek details his perception of his predecessor and successor, Iger’s, constant campaign to undermine him at every turn, including: his off-putting behavior during their first joint interview with CNBC on Chapek’s first day (which made Chapek believe Iger “didn’t want to drop the ball”), denigrating Iger in private, snubbing him during his retirement speech, and undermining him during Disney’s tough times. Controversy over “Don’t Say Gay” bill.
Chapek writes in the book: “While the board and I were discussing internally how to respond to the legislation, which had not yet been officially passed, Bob tweeted: ‘I’m with the president (Biden) about this! If passed, this bill will put vulnerable LGBTQ youth at risk. He implied that none of this would have happened under his leadership, and it was all a simple, clear decision for the company. For him, it was the perfect opportunity to use the situation to show that he was right and I was wrong.
The controversy over Disney’s response to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill was one of the biggest missteps attributed to Chapek’s tenure, as was the ugly public fight with Scarlett Johansson about the release of “Black Widow” in 2021. (The star sued Disney for breach of contract, alleging that releasing the film simultaneously in theaters and on Disney+ reduced his salary, and Disney responded by publicly disparaging the star and citing Covid.)
The lawsuit was settled in 2021.
Chapek now says he was the one responsible for the ScarJo mess: In an interview with the Wall Street Journal last week, Chapek said the tough stance toward Johansson at the time came from Disney’s head of communications and was approved by Iger.
Although he is CEO, Chapek said he was asked to let Iger handle all talent matters. “I thought the company’s statement was very harsh. I thought bringing up the Covid situation and theoretical insensitivity was, uh, not traditional,” he said.
In the book, Chapek writes that Iger further used the backlash, “as evidence of my perceived lack of connection with the creative community.”
The book portrays Chapek as a humble Midwestern Joe, while Iger was an alleged egomaniac who once told Chapek that he was the modern reincarnation of Walt Disney himself, Chapek writes. (We’re told that Chapek’s feeling of being an outsider “was a real thing inside Disney,” according to one source.)
The Disney insider adds that studio officials are more concerned about another upcoming book, a Wall Street Journal reporter says. Robbie WhelanIt’s a book about Iger and the Magic Kingdom, “The House of the Mouse”, expected for December. Disney and Iger even reportedly hired a high-powered lawyer Charles Harder to play defense against the book which is also eagerly awaited in town.
Page Six Hollywood previously reported on Iger’s concerns about the upcoming book — and how that factored into his decision to team up with a former Hillary Clinton speechwriter and communications expert, Dan Schwerinon a sequel to his own memoir, “The Ride of a Lifetime.”
We also reported how Iger by chance was featured in a Harvard Business Review interview last week, firing back at Chapek (without naming him) on the same day, excerpts from Chapek’s book published in THR and Vanity Fair dissing Iger.
One aspect of the book that Disney people aren’t buying is that Chapek “did nothing wrong” during his time at the top of Disney. “Give me a break,” huffed an insider.
But for all of Iger’s internal studio iconography, Chapek still has supporters within Disney who think he didn’t get a fair chance thanks to Iger’s ego. “Iger retired seven times because he couldn’t let go,” a former Disney employee told us.
For Iger, Chapek’s books come as the former Disney executive takes a keen interest in creating his legacy now that he has finally moved on to his next career as the future face of the LA Lakers ownership group.
We reached out to Disney about the book and Iger has yet to publicly respond to Chapek’s claims.
Gn bussni
