Fact Check: Did Kurt Russell end his long-term association with Disney for being woke? Viral post debunked

"The Christmas Chronicles" Premiere In Los Angeles - Source: Getty
Viral article stating Kurt Russell cut off ties with Disney is debunked. (Image via Getty Images/Michael Kovac)

A recent meme surfaced on Facebook claiming actor Kurt Russell has snipped his ties with Disney, allegedly citing the company's supposed "wokeness" as the reason. According to Snopes, the post originally appeared on the page called America's Last Line of Defense.

Despite not being able to locate the ALLOD's page on Facebook at the time of writing, Just the Facts, another page, reposted the image on August 9, with Russell's alleged statement as the subtext:

"I've wasted enough of my career on them."

The page called Disney out for apparently discarding its "wholesome family image" which it had long been a staple of.

However, there has been no official news from any esteemed news outlet about the 73-year-old actor distancing himself from the entertainment company. Moreover, a closer look at the Kurt Russell meme can bring one's notice to America's Last of Defense or ALLOD's badge on the bottom-left corner, with the label 'Satire' written on top.

The website is known for publishing fictional stories with satirical intent and none of the claims in their articles are true. Their 'About Us' page also jokingly addressed some of the readers who might end up believing their content:

"Everything on this website is fiction. It is not a lie and it is not fake news because it is not real. If you believe that it is real, you should have your head examined."

Thus, it can be concluded that Kurt Russell did not issue any such statement about ending his association with Disney.

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Kurt Russell and Disney go way back

Kurt Russell stepped foot into acting at the age of 11 when he was cast in a minor role in Elvis Presley's 1963 musical comedy It Happened at the World Fair. After a few years, Disney casting reportedly agents took notice of Russell.

His Disney debut was at age 15 when he played Edward White Jr. in the 1966 film Follow Me, Boys! starring other popular actors including Fred MacMurray, Vera Miles, and Elliott Reid.

The movie earned Russell Walt Disney's admiration, leading the then-teen to sign a 10-year contract with the company. In October 1966, a month before Walt was diagnosed with lung cancer, he addressed the actors featured on Follow Me, Boys! and referring to Russell, he said:

"It has a fine cast. And, oh yes, you're about to meet a 15-year-old boy for whom I predict a great acting future. His name is Kurt Russell."

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Russell continued to work on multiple Disney projects, eventually emerging as one of the top actors in the studio.

One of his most notable roles during his tenure at Disney is Dexter Reilly in The Computer Wore Tennis Shoes (1969), The Strongest Man in the World (1975), and Now You See Him, Now You Don't (1972).

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Kurt Russell's other Disney movies include Mosby's Marauders (1967), The One and Only, The Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit (1968), The Barefoot Executive (1971), Genuine Original Family Band (1968), Charley and the Angel (1973), Superdad (1973), and Sky High (2005).

In an interview with Disney Twenty-Three magazine, the MCU Ego actor said:

"What I learned at Disney was how to make movies, and I learned that from Walt."

Russell shared how he had the fortune of observing Walt Disney discussing how character arcs are created in movies for the audience to be able to relate to them.

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