Who Is Abigail Disney? New Details On Roy Disney's Daughter And Why She's Calling Out CEO Bob Iger Over Salary
Will the Disney Company get a happy ending?
Instagram For those of us who aren't born rich, the idea of being born into a wealthy family sounds like something out of a fairy tale. You're born knowing that all your needs will be met, you'll probably get a very nice car when you turn 16, your college education will be paid for leaving you debt free and chances are you won't have to work a day in your life. Thankfully, not every heir or heiress chooses this way of life, at least, not for keeps. Disney family member Abigail Disney has never been one to follow a crowd. When you read up on what she's been saying about the Disney company's CEO Bob Iger and about other serious issues you'll find yourself cheering her on! Who is Abigail Disney?
1. Blasting Disney's CEO
When you hear the name Disney chances are you think more about the billion dollar company, their movies, their theme parks and their entertainment powerhouse of a business. It's easy to forget that Disney is also a last name. Abigail Disney, however, isn't going to let you forget it. Her grandfather Roy Disney founded the Walt Disney Company with Walt Disney, making her an important part of a great American family. Abigail isn't your average rich woman. She's in the news currently for calling out Bob Iger, the CEO of the family business, regarding his massive salary. On Twitter she revealed that the mogul took home $65.6 million last year. She very rightly pointed out that this was an “insane” amount, especially considering the theme park employees can't afford to meet their basic living needs on their own meager incomes.
2. It's Not The First Time
It's not like Abigail has never made a stand before. She's been quick to point out injustice and inequity where she sees it. In March, she appeared on CNBC and pointed out just how outrageous Iger's salary was in no uncertain terms, saying "Jesus Christ himself isn’t worth 500 times his median workers’ pay." Unlike other wealthy people out there, Abigail holds herself and those around her to a high standard. In the process, she's setting a positive example for others who might come from a similarly privileged background. For example, Abigail Disney has been very vocal in the past about how the super-rich and mega-rich should be taxed at a higher rate. How is that for refreshing?
3. Bad*ss Philanthropist
Abigail is 59-years-old and the happily married mother of four beautiful children. So yeah, it's not like she's attacking her own family's company because she has a lot of free time on her hands. With the support of her husband Pierre Hauser she's become a notable presence in the documentary filmmaking world, usually telling stories with a political stance, like 2015's The Armor of Light, a doc about gun control
Did I mention that she is also a friggin' Nobel Prize winner? Because she is! She's a donor to causes she believes in and a philanthropist who has found that in telling stories through documentary filmmaking she can make a real difference. It was in fact, the documentary that earned her the Nobel is called Pray The Devil Back To God. It was released in 2011.
4. Money Where Her Mouth Is
The amount of money this woman has would make Donald Trump blush. It seems Abigail is worth $500 million! Sure the name Disney indicates that she'd be wealthy but not that wealthy! Can you even imagine having to deal with that much money? I'm stressed out just thinking about it!
But Abigail doesn't just have her money supporting her, she's got a killer education (probably, you know, funded by her millions, but hey, what are you gonna do). Although she was born in California, she went over to Connecticut for her undergrad degree at Yale before she moved on to earn her Master's at Stanford. She then topped the whole thing off with a PhD back on the East Coast, at Columbia University.
5. How She Splurges
While Abigail's relationship with her finances was complicated when she was a younger person, she's got perspective now. “I’m in a position to continue giving a lot of money away until the day I die. I really considered giving it all away at a certain point in my 20s, and I know people who did that. Now I’m glad I didn’t give it all away, because my money has grown. Now I’ve given away so much more than I inherited. And I’m so much smarter now. What I would’ve done in my 20s would have been great and nice, but I’m so much more effective now," she said.
In addition to her money growing and helping her do more to help her fellow man, she does own up to having the odd splurge here and there. Her weak spots when it comes to splurging? Wine, food, shoes and purses. So yeah, she is a girly girl like so many of us. Buy the Birkin bag girl, treat yo'self!
“Luckily, I’m not a real-estate girl. I don’t need a ranch and a ski resort and whatever else. And I don’t want a private jet because it hollows you out from the inside. So, I’m lucky that the things I love are really not expensive, considering. But to most normal people, what I spend on a really good dinner at a really good restaurant, that would be horrifying. They couldn’t even imagine spending that. So I wouldn’t pass muster with a lot of lefties, I have to say," she admits.
Rebecca Jane Stokes is a writer living in Brooklyn, New York with her cats, Batman and Margot. She's an experienced generalist with a passion for lifestyle, geek news, pop culture, and true crime. For more of her work, check out her Tumblr.