Much has been said about former Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s time with the House of Mouse. A 30-year veteran of the company, Chapek succeeded Bob Iger as CEO shortly before the onset of the COVID pandemic and ousted in 2022, with the reigns given back to Iger, who stayed in the position until he stepped down earlier this year. Chapek has since written a memoir, Behind the Castle Walls, in which he discusses his time with the company. With all this, many have wondered if Chapek has “beef” with Disney, and he’s now opening up about that.
More specifically, there’s been a question as to whether Chapek specifically holds unpleasant feelings towards Bob Iger years after rumors of tension between them. The former chairman of Walt Disney Parks and Resorts was asked about that while speaking with Valuetainment for Gen-Z. Chapek replied by sharing the following take about Iger and his reasoning for writing the book:
I don’t have a beef with Bob Iger. I have a beef with what Bob Iger did when he desired to get his job back. I don’t believe that he acted on behalf of the company or the shareholders and you know I paid the price for it. So I just wanted my story to be told and that’s why I did this.
Per Behind the Castle Walls‘ synopsis, it chronicles how Chapek climbed the ladder within the company and how he navigated the media landscape amid COVID. Also highlighted in the book is the alleged backlash Disney faced for certain moves that left Chapek “wondering whether he had become the corporate scapegoat of it all.” Based on that longline, it seems like the book will cover the details of Chapek’s firing and his final weeks as CEO before Iger stepped back into the position. (Josh D’Amaro has since taken over the position of Disney CEO).
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However, the memoir seems to be about far more than an alleged “beef” with the company. When asked if he believes that business is war, Chapek says:
This book is not about Bob Iger or my intention to set the record straight. What I wanted to do is do some truth telling about my situation at Disney all 30 years. Actually my whole life. My growing up in Indiana and what led me to a position of even being able to be considered to be hired at Disney. And then my 30 years at Disney. Not just the last three.
There are some other interesting tidbits in the book as well, including Chapek’s staunch defense of The Return of Jafar. (For those of us who remember, this was the straight-to-video sequel to Aladdin.) What exactly will be covered in Chapek’s book remains to be seen but, given his extensive work with Disney, there’s a lot of ground that he can cover. Work aside, readers also get a look into the exec’s personal life.
Chapek grew up in a small town in Indiana and was raised “by a World War II–veteran father,” who gets a shout-out in the book’s description. Still, it’s unclear how much he’ll go into his childhood. As for his career, Chapek’s recent comments suggest that those who are looking for him to discuss Bob Iger in an unfavorable light aren’t in for such a read.
Behind the Castle Walls: My Thirty Years at the Happiest Place on Earth comes out September 29 where books are sold.