10 Celebs That Got Banned & Blacklisted by Disney
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VOICE OVER: Kirsten Ria Squibb
WRITTEN BY: Cristina Otero
From controversial conduct to dress code violations, these stars found themselves on Mickey's bad side! Join us as we explore the shocking stories of celebrities who were banned, fired, or blacklisted by the entertainment giant. Some managed to make amends, while others remain personae non gratae in the House of Mouse. Our countdown includes Johnny Depp's removal from Pirates franchise, Grace Jones' controversial performance, Robert Downey Jr.'s theme park incident, and Snow White voice actress Adriana Caselotti's tragic career limitation. Which Disney drama surprised you most? Let us know in the comments!
Top 10 Celebs Blacklisted by Disney
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrities who have gotten themselves on the wrong side of the Mouse, for one reason or another. Some of these bridges have been mended while others remain burned.
This podcast couple is looking to be a star-crossed one. Holmes and Robach were working for ABC as “Good Morning America” hosts when their romantic relationship went public. The scandal? Both of them were still married at the time. They launched a podcast together, but not before Disney, per Holmes, allegedly banned them from Disneyland and Disney World for good measure. Why Disney decided to include theme parks is a bit of a mystery. In any case, it goes to show that when it comes to family values, or at least employer ethics, Disney does not play around.
Downey has had a long struggle with substance use, spending time in rehab and even in jail. So it isn’t too surprising that he was once arrested and taken from Disneyland for smoking cannabis on a gondola ride. The fact that it was his first time going there must not have helped matters in the slightest. Downey has since come to terms with this unceremonious treatment, joking good-humoredly that he should have gotten a fictional license beforehand. It isn’t known if Disney banned him, but it seems safe to say the company has since forgiven him for his breach. After all, they have more than a few attractions dedicated to Iron Man now.
Sometimes celebrities don’t get thrown out for conduct breaches, but for something as simple as a dress code. Springsteen and his group had barely stepped foot into Disneyland when one employee asked Springsteen’s friend to remove his bandana to remain in the park. This was supposedly so Springsteen et al. wouldn’t be confused with gang members. Springsteen refused to remove his own bandana out of solidarity, and thus they were all escorted out of the park. When they tried to visit a different park, they were also denied for the same reason. Much ado about a bandana.
In a 2018 article in “Teen Vogue,” this Disney Channel star came out as pansexual. Stoner was the co-host of “Mike's Super Short Show” on Disney Channel, and they also appeared on other hit shows like “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” Upon coming out, Stoner claims in their podcast that Disney removed them from a project. Stoner says they felt they were “unsafe” to be around kids due to their sexuality. Disney’s record on supporting LGBTQ+ rights has been patchy indeed, criticized for both lack of—and too much—queer representation in their feature films. Perhaps the real controversy is the company’s treatment of their queer artists.
Some celebrities have aroused Disney’s ire simply through lawsuits. Dunbar made waves when he claimed Disney had blacklisted him due to his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons. His lawsuit against the company asserts he was fired from the show “911” after Disney denied his attempts to get a vaccine exemption. Dunbar also alleged racial discrimination, claiming that other non-Black cast members were accommodated. The lawsuit was dismissed for failure to prove broad discrimination among other members of Dunbar’s protected group. Still, Dunbar has maintained that he has been placed on a “do not hire” list.
How do you get banned from Disney for life? Simply taking off your shirt will do. Back in 1998, it was reported that singer Grace Jones pulled off her blouse and exposed her chest while performing at the House of Blues at Disney World. This resulted in Jones getting banned from all Disney properties. It isn’t completely confirmed whether Jones was banned for life, but considering Disney’s squeaky-clean image and how consistently it upholds it, it wouldn’t surprise us. The singer may be a “slave to the rhythm,” but that doesn’t mean she answers to Disney.
Even legendary film directors are not exempt from the wrath of the Mouse. After the success of “North by Northwest,” Hitchcock decided to set his next project in Disneyland itself. The film was to follow a blind pianist who visits the theme park after regaining his sight. When Walt Disney himself heard of it, he promptly shot the idea down, claiming he would never allow the controversial director to “shoot a foot of film in Disneyland.” Hitchcock tried to change the Disneyland set piece to a cruise ship, but ultimately could not get it to work. “The Blind Man” was shelved, only to be revived as a BBC radio drama in 2015 by Mark Gatiss.
When Rebel Wilson visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California, she took a selfie in a secret bathroom at Club 33, which isn’t open to most of the park’s visitors. This was apparently illegal, which led to her 30-day ban. The punishment was minor, all things considered. In an interview with “The Daily Show,” Wilson claimed Disney was very accommodating, even asking her which thirty days she would like to be banned for to fit her schedule. Wilson is always a rebel, but at least Disney didn’t come down on her too hard.
For an actor who has truly been on the wrong end of Disney’s might, look no further than this worldwide star. In the wake of allegations of domestic violence, Depp resigned from his role as Grindelwald in “Fantastic Beasts” franchise. During the controversial trial, Disney decided to remove Depp from his lead role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. Not only that, but Disney also declined to cast him in future projects. Depp has since gone on record stating that he would never work for Disney again after what he considered to be their shoddy treatment of him.
Perhaps the worst case of a Disney blacklist is also the most unfair one. You will instantly recognize Caselotti’s iconic voice as Snow White in Disney’s first full-length film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Disney paid Caselotti only $970 and did not give her any credit for the role. Caselotti’s later career sputtered, with Disney refusing to let her be cast in any other projects out of fear of spoiling “the illusion of Snow White.” Caselotti did manage to land a one-line role as the voice of Juliet on “The Wizard of Oz,” which also went uncredited. Her iconic performance as Snow White makes Disney’s ill-treatment even more egregious.
Can you think of any other celebs who were DDD’d—Done Dirty by Disney? Let us know in the comments down below!
Welcome to MsMojo, and today we’re looking at celebrities who have gotten themselves on the wrong side of the Mouse, for one reason or another. Some of these bridges have been mended while others remain burned.
#10: T.J. Holmes & Amy Robach
This podcast couple is looking to be a star-crossed one. Holmes and Robach were working for ABC as “Good Morning America” hosts when their romantic relationship went public. The scandal? Both of them were still married at the time. They launched a podcast together, but not before Disney, per Holmes, allegedly banned them from Disneyland and Disney World for good measure. Why Disney decided to include theme parks is a bit of a mystery. In any case, it goes to show that when it comes to family values, or at least employer ethics, Disney does not play around.
#9: Robert Downey Jr.
Downey has had a long struggle with substance use, spending time in rehab and even in jail. So it isn’t too surprising that he was once arrested and taken from Disneyland for smoking cannabis on a gondola ride. The fact that it was his first time going there must not have helped matters in the slightest. Downey has since come to terms with this unceremonious treatment, joking good-humoredly that he should have gotten a fictional license beforehand. It isn’t known if Disney banned him, but it seems safe to say the company has since forgiven him for his breach. After all, they have more than a few attractions dedicated to Iron Man now.
#8: Bruce Springsteen
Sometimes celebrities don’t get thrown out for conduct breaches, but for something as simple as a dress code. Springsteen and his group had barely stepped foot into Disneyland when one employee asked Springsteen’s friend to remove his bandana to remain in the park. This was supposedly so Springsteen et al. wouldn’t be confused with gang members. Springsteen refused to remove his own bandana out of solidarity, and thus they were all escorted out of the park. When they tried to visit a different park, they were also denied for the same reason. Much ado about a bandana.
#7: Alyson Stoner
In a 2018 article in “Teen Vogue,” this Disney Channel star came out as pansexual. Stoner was the co-host of “Mike's Super Short Show” on Disney Channel, and they also appeared on other hit shows like “The Suite Life of Zach and Cody.” Upon coming out, Stoner claims in their podcast that Disney removed them from a project. Stoner says they felt they were “unsafe” to be around kids due to their sexuality. Disney’s record on supporting LGBTQ+ rights has been patchy indeed, criticized for both lack of—and too much—queer representation in their feature films. Perhaps the real controversy is the company’s treatment of their queer artists.
#6: Rockmond Dunbar
Some celebrities have aroused Disney’s ire simply through lawsuits. Dunbar made waves when he claimed Disney had blacklisted him due to his refusal to get the COVID-19 vaccine for religious reasons. His lawsuit against the company asserts he was fired from the show “911” after Disney denied his attempts to get a vaccine exemption. Dunbar also alleged racial discrimination, claiming that other non-Black cast members were accommodated. The lawsuit was dismissed for failure to prove broad discrimination among other members of Dunbar’s protected group. Still, Dunbar has maintained that he has been placed on a “do not hire” list.
#5: Grace Jones
How do you get banned from Disney for life? Simply taking off your shirt will do. Back in 1998, it was reported that singer Grace Jones pulled off her blouse and exposed her chest while performing at the House of Blues at Disney World. This resulted in Jones getting banned from all Disney properties. It isn’t completely confirmed whether Jones was banned for life, but considering Disney’s squeaky-clean image and how consistently it upholds it, it wouldn’t surprise us. The singer may be a “slave to the rhythm,” but that doesn’t mean she answers to Disney.
#4: Alfred Hitchcock
Even legendary film directors are not exempt from the wrath of the Mouse. After the success of “North by Northwest,” Hitchcock decided to set his next project in Disneyland itself. The film was to follow a blind pianist who visits the theme park after regaining his sight. When Walt Disney himself heard of it, he promptly shot the idea down, claiming he would never allow the controversial director to “shoot a foot of film in Disneyland.” Hitchcock tried to change the Disneyland set piece to a cruise ship, but ultimately could not get it to work. “The Blind Man” was shelved, only to be revived as a BBC radio drama in 2015 by Mark Gatiss.
#3: Rebel Wilson
When Rebel Wilson visited Disneyland in Anaheim, California, she took a selfie in a secret bathroom at Club 33, which isn’t open to most of the park’s visitors. This was apparently illegal, which led to her 30-day ban. The punishment was minor, all things considered. In an interview with “The Daily Show,” Wilson claimed Disney was very accommodating, even asking her which thirty days she would like to be banned for to fit her schedule. Wilson is always a rebel, but at least Disney didn’t come down on her too hard.
#2: Johnny Depp
For an actor who has truly been on the wrong end of Disney’s might, look no further than this worldwide star. In the wake of allegations of domestic violence, Depp resigned from his role as Grindelwald in “Fantastic Beasts” franchise. During the controversial trial, Disney decided to remove Depp from his lead role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” franchise. Not only that, but Disney also declined to cast him in future projects. Depp has since gone on record stating that he would never work for Disney again after what he considered to be their shoddy treatment of him.
#1: Adriana Caselotti
Perhaps the worst case of a Disney blacklist is also the most unfair one. You will instantly recognize Caselotti’s iconic voice as Snow White in Disney’s first full-length film, “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs.” Disney paid Caselotti only $970 and did not give her any credit for the role. Caselotti’s later career sputtered, with Disney refusing to let her be cast in any other projects out of fear of spoiling “the illusion of Snow White.” Caselotti did manage to land a one-line role as the voice of Juliet on “The Wizard of Oz,” which also went uncredited. Her iconic performance as Snow White makes Disney’s ill-treatment even more egregious.
Can you think of any other celebs who were DDD’d—Done Dirty by Disney? Let us know in the comments down below!
