Thomas Schumacher, president of Disney Theatrical Productions, has been accused of sexual misconduct and harassment in a new report from the Wall Street Journal.
In the article, two former Walt Disney employees alleged that Schumacher engaged inappropriate behavior that included explicit sexual language, comments on one employee’s physical appearance, and unwanted advances. The two employees—Bruce Williams and Jane Buchanan—both worked at Disney under Schumacher, who has been at the company for three decades as a producer and is currently at work on Disney’s upcomingBroadway adaptation of the animated movie Frozen. Both Williams and Buchanan eventually left Disney.
Several former Disney employees backed up the claims from Williams and Buchanan, which span the 1990s and early 2000s, WSJ reported. Through an associate, Schumacher denied the allegations against him, according to WSJ, while a Disney spokesperson told the newspaper that “complaints are thoroughly investigated and appropriate action is taken” at the company.
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Before taking over as the head of Disney’s theatrical arm in the early 2000s, Schumacher worked on classic animated features such as Pocahontas and Mulan at Disney and served as president of Walt Disney Feature Animation. Now, Schumacher oversees a Disney unit that has produced the successful adapted stage musicals of The Lion King, Aladdin, and others. The Broadway adaptation of Frozen, the blockbuster animated hit from 2013, has been in development since 2014 at a reported cost of nearly $50 million. The show begins previews later this month in New York City.
Coins2Day contacted Disney for additional comment and we will update this article with any response.