Pedro Pascal + More Disney Talent Ask for A Boycott: All About the Movement for Jimmy Kimmel

Disney is facing mounting internal and external backlash following its decision to indefinitely suspend "Jimmy Kimmel Live!" after a controversial monologue by its host about the reaction by conservative groups regarding the suspect of the murder of activist Charlie Kirk. Among those protesting are Disney's own stars and creatives, who are urging fans and colleagues to take action.

On September 17, 2025, ABC, a Disney‐owned network, announced the indefinite preemption of Kimmel's long-running talk show. The move came after Kimmel criticized certain conservative reactions to Kirk's killing, accusing the MAGA movement of hitting "new lows this weekend... trying to spin this kid who murdered Charlie Kirk into something other than what he is."

Soon after, FCC Chair Brendan Carr publicly condemned Kimmel's words as "truly sick," and key ABC affiliates, including stations owned by large groups such as Nexstar, pledged to stop airing the show. Carr would also state that the FCC isn't "done yet" in an interview with CNBC.

"The issue that arose here, where lots and lots of people were upset, was not a joke...It was not making fun...It was appearing to directly mislead the American public about a significant fact that probably one of the most significant political events we've had in a long time, for the most significant political assassination we've seen in a long time," Carr stated.

Numerous other members of the Trump administration have voiced their support for legal consequences for those seen as celebrating Kirk's murder. Vice President J.D. Vance, appearing on Kirk's own podcast, urged citizens to report those who celebrated Kirk's death and to pressure their employers. "If you see somebody laughing about this, call their boss," Vance said, a remark that drew both support and criticism online.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth ordered a crackdown on service members who posted mocking or celebratory messages about Kirk's death. Reports indicate that dozens of troops have been disciplined under new zero-tolerance guidelines, raising concerns about the scope of permissible expression for members of the military.

More than one show

The decision to pull Kimmel off the air has a lot more significance after the cancellation of the CBS talk show "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert," whose host is a long-time critic of President Donald Trump's. The cancellation came soon after Colbert criticized the settlement CBS' parent company, Paramount, paid President Trump over a 60 Minutes interview with his opponent in the 2024 election, Kamala Harris.

MSNBC commentator Matthew Dowd was also fired in the wake of Kirk's assassination for suggesting that Kirk's "hateful words" led to his murder. Longtime Washington Post columnist Karen Attiah was also dismissed from her job at the newspaper for criticizing the response to the Kirk killing.

Univision also fired its Senior Director of Talent Strategy & Insights, Karen Padin for posting a cartoon of Kirk at Heaven's gates being confronted by victims of school shootings asking him, "Was it worth it, Charlie?"

Disney talent speak up

One of the most prominent voices against Disney's decision is Tatiana Maslany, best known for playing the titular role in the Disney+ series, "She-Hulk: Attorney at Law." Maslany posted on her Instagram story, urging her more than 500,000 followers to cancel their subscriptions to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN. The post included a behind-the-scenes photo from the "She-Hulk" production.

Maslany is not alone. Several other entertainers and industry figures have publicly criticized Disney's decision and called for similar actions.

Pedro Pascal affirmed his support more recently. He posted a photo of himself with Jimmy Kimmel, captioning it, "Standing with you @jimmykimmellive Defend #FreeSpeech Defend #DEMOCRACY." On his Instagram Stories, Pascal reposted statements from the Writers Guild of America and SAG-AFTRA, along with commentary labeling the suspension "this is what fascism looks like."

Also joining in protest is Damon Lindelof, co-creator of the hit ABC show, "Lost," as well as HBO's "The Leftovers," "Watchmen," and the upcoming "Lanterns." He described himself as "shocked, saddened, and infuriated" by the suspension and indicated that he "can't in good conscience work for the company that imposed it" unless ABC lifts the suspension.

Actor and comedian, Josh Gad, the voice of fan-favorite Olaf the Snowman in Disney's hit animated franchise, "Frozen," has also called out the entertainment giant on Threads, saying, "Hey Disney... this ain't it." He also posted, "I see we are at the passive participation of authoritarianism now. God help us all."

Gad would also suggest taking legal action against the Trump administration, saying, "It is bewildering to me that every fucking network doesn't join hands and bring a class action suit against this government. Unless they just don't care about freedom of speech."

Their voices lead a growing group of comedians, actors, writers, and more professionals in the entertainment industry who have denounced the Kimmel suspension as an attack on the First Amendment.

Content creators on social media have published instructions on how to cancel the subscriptions to Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN, all Disney's properties, or given suggestions on what to watch after doing so.

So far, Disney has not released detailed public statements regarding the decision to pull Kimmel off the air, but a report from Bloomberg indicates that they are in active discussions with Kimmel to bring the show back.