Bob Chapek accuses Bob Iger of 'relentless campaign' to oust him from Disney
Former Disney CEO Bob Chapek is airing some dirty laundry from the Magic Kingdom. In an excerpt from his upcoming book "Behind the Castle Walls," published by Vanity Fair, Chapek claims his predecessor Bob Iger waged a "relentless three-year campaign" to get him fired after hand-picking him as his successor in 2020.
Per Variety, Chapek writes that Iger's regret was immediate. "From the moment he announced my appointment, he clearly regretted it," Chapek claims. He says he respected Iger's continued role as executive chairman but "never expected to endure a drawn-out, purposeful undoing of my leadership."
The ousted CEO also recounts a snub at Iger's own retirement party. Chapek says Iger concluded a speech without mentioning him or passing any symbolic torch. "He couldn't even stay neutral," Chapek writes. "That proved too much for him. He had to disrespect me and my background."
Chapek further alleges that Iger worked to undermine him during crises. He claims that while he managed the company through COVID-19 shutdowns, Iger spent time "finding ways to politically outmaneuver" him. Chapek specifically points to the public fallout over Disney's response to Florida's "Don't Say Gay" bill as a moment Iger manipulated to damage him.
Disney declined to comment on the excerpt. Industry insiders reportedly view the book as a "revisionist" account. Chapek's book, published by Simon & Schuster, is set for release on September 29.
