Disney CEO’s Statement On LGBTQ+ Rights Praised By Mark Ruffalo & Another Marvel Actor

The family of Jussie Smollett are speaking out.

While not specifically calling out Disney’s recent debacle surrounding Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation, Lucasfilm boss Kathleen Kennedy made it known that she and her fellow PGA Milestone Award recipient George Lucas are on the right side of history, giving a shout-out to the impact of diverse, female and LGBTQ artists in the motion picture industry.

The family of Jussie Smollett are speaking out.

The Walt Disney Co. and CEO Bob Chapek are under fire for their perceived slow reaction to the “Don’t Say Gay” bill that recently passed the Florida Senate. It now heads to Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is likely to sign it into law.

Hollywood stars have joined together to write a letter to City National’s parent company, the Royal Bank of Canada, to defund the Canada Gas pipeline. The letter, signed in solidarity, urges the Royal Bank of Canada to "withdraw support from the Coastal GasLink pipeline, effective immediately."  The letter goes on to say, "City National Bank's parent company Royal Bank of Canada is bankrolling the climate crisis and violating the rights of Indigenous Peoples."  Mark Ruffalo narrates a two-minute video explaining what the Coastal GasLink pipeline is doing to the land of the Wet’suwet’en nation.  (Getty Images) More than 65 celebrities, including Mark Ruffalo, Leonardo DiCaprio, Ben Stiller, Scarlett Johansson, Taika Waititi, Jane Fonda, Susan Sarandon, and Robert Downey Jr., banded together to send the letter to City National Bank’s parent company.  City National Bank has been dubbed as the "Bank of the Stars" and acquired the Royal Bank of Canada in 2015.  Some of the celebrities mentioned filmed a video together to raise awareness, using the hashtag, #NoMoreDirtyBanks.  Leonardo DiCaprio is joined by more than 65 other celebrities to protest the Royal Bank of Canada.

Brian Steinberg Senior TV EditorCAA has signed Peter Alexander, the co-chief White House correspondent for NBC News, and will represent him in his dealings with media and other potential employers.Alexander is also co-anchor of the weekend broadcast of “Today,” which he joined in October of 2018. He and Kristen Welker, who is also NBC News’ co-chief White House correspondent, have led “Today” on weekends since January of 2020, anchoring the program from Washington, D.C.Alexander has been with NBC News since 2004 and has covered events around the world as well as in the nation’s capital.

Video: Six actors hope to join the list of multiple-Oscar winners at the 2022 Oscars (Cover Video)Bella Hadid reflects on battle with eating disorderScott Hall, WWE legend, dead at 63Court rules in favor of request to ban the release of details regarding Bob Saget's deathJussie Smollett's legal team pushes for emergency release following threatening callIN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Kim Kardashian calls out Kanye West over child custody commentsIN CASE YOU MISSED IT: Jane Campion apologises to Venus and Serena Williams over 'thoughtless comment'Dylan O'Brien tests positive for Covid-19Evan Rachel Wood 'not scared' of Marilyn Manson's defamation lawsuitBen Stiller and Mark Ruffalo pay tribute to William HurtGeorge Michael's estate takes action against Tory Lanez over Careless Whisper sampleBritney Spears calls out father Jamie on InstagramHilary Duff reflects on 'anxiety-inducing' Vanity Fair cover photoshootPete Davidson will be onboard Blue Origin's next space flightMila Kunis 'awestricken' by strength of Ukrainian people during warKim Kardashian calls out Kanye West over child custody commentsJane Campion apologises to Venus and Serena Williams over 'thoughtless comment' The 53-year-old is currently nominated for a Best Actor Oscar for the third time for his portrayal of Venus and Serena Williams' father Richard Williams in King Richard. The film is nominated for six Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Original Screenplay.

A long list of celebrities from the film, television, sports and music industries has sent a letter urging City National Bank’s parent company, Royal Bank of Canada, to defund the Coastal GasLink pipeline.

Marvel Studios have added their voice to the debate surrounding the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill in the US, saying the company “strongly denounces” any legislation that affects the rights of the LGBTQ+ community.The Republican-led bill, formally known as Parental Rights in Education, bans discussions of sexual orientation and gender identity from kindergarten to third grade classes (aged 8-9). It argued that conversations around identity should be handled by parents, not schools.A statement shared by Marvel Studios on social media read: “We strongly denounce any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.

Wilson Chapman editorMark Ruffalo has a long history working as an ally for indigenous communities, including protesting on site at Standing Rock in 2016. Now, the three-time Oscar nominee is among the 65 celebrities who have signed an open letter demanding the Royal Bank of Canada withdraw funding for Coastal GasLink, a 416-mile pipeline that will cut through Wet’suwet’en land without the approval of the hereditary chiefs.“We have a voice, and our voice reaches the people.

Disney’s bungled response to Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” bill. The movie studio issued their vote of support in a Twitter statement Wednesday.“We strongly denounce any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community,” they wrote.

As The Walt Disney Company employees planned walkouts today over “the lack of compassion and advocacy” from the company in regard to its LGTBQIA+ workers and their rights, especially where Florida’s so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill is concerned, Disney-owned Marvel Studios posted a statement to Twitter strongly denouncing “any and ALL legislation that infringes on the basic human rights of the LGBTQIA+ community.”

J. Kim Murphy Marvel Studios released a statement denouncing anti-LGBTQIA+ legislation on Tuesday afternoon.

Angelique Jackson A group of Disney employees have planned a week of in-person and virtual walkouts in response to the company and CEO Bob Chapek’s handling of Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” Bill.On Monday afternoon, the Twitter account called Disney Walkout posted a message explaining that, “The LGBTQIA+ workers and allies at The Walt Disney Company are standing in solidarity together over the coming weeks.”The post then linked to an open letter written in partnership with members of the LGBTQ community across the Walt Disney Company (including Disney Corporate, Disney Television Animation, Lucasfilm, Pixar, Disney Media and Entertainment Distribution, Disney Streaming, Enterprise Finance, Enterprise Technology/Global Information Security and Bento Box). “The recent statements by The Walt Disney Company (TWDC) leadership regarding the Florida legislature’s recent ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill have utterly failed to match the magnitude of the threat to LGBTQIA+ safety represented by this legislation,” organizers wrote.

“When we donate money to different political candidates, we have no idea how they’re going to vote going forward into the future,” said Disney CEO Bob Chapek at a shareholders meeting this past week.

Words like “legendary,” “favorite,” “dominating” and “incredible” were part of the reactions online to news of actor William Hurt’s passing. In most cases, it would be an exaggeration borne of an emotional moment, a way to honor a fallen presence with tributes that capture their feelings about someone who entertained them for a good portion of their lives.

A bill has been introduced in the Georgia senate that resembles Florida’s “Don’t Say Gay” legislation.

UPDATE:  Human Rights Campaign Interim President Joni Madison said last night that she has spoken to Disney CEO Bob Chapek, but did not reveal specifics about their conversation.

Walt Disney Company Chief Executive Officer Bob Chapek issued a memo to the company’s LGBTQ+ and ally employees apologizing over his handling of the controversy over the media conglomerate’s response to Florida HB 1557, colloquially known as the ‘Don’t Say Gay’ bill.

Actress Jurnee Smollett has called for Cook County to “#FreeJussie” on the heels of her brother Jussie Smollett’s Thursday sentencing to 150 days in jail for staging a fake hate crime back in 2019.

Ryan Reynolds and Mark Ruffalo needed a time expert to talk about daylight saving time, and they brought in the big guns.The Deadpool actor, 45, and the Avengers: Endgame star, 54, made a public service announcement to promote their new movie The Adam Project which came out on Netflix Friday with some help from Back To The Future star Christopher Lloyd.In the clip, the stars stand side by side to let people know that they will should set their clocks ahead as they will lose an hour of sleep on Sunday, March 13. Consulting with an expert:Ryan Reynolds and Mark Ruffalo needed a time expert to talk about daylight saving time, and they brought in the big guns: Back To The Future's Christopher Lloyd'Ryan and I have both played superheroes who have time traveled,' Ruffalo says to begin the video.'And our new movie The Adam Project is about time travel,' Reynolds adds.