{
  "id": 11255528,
  "title": "Disney’s Dana Walden Says Hollywood Layoffs Will Keep Coming Amid Tech Takeover: ‘We Must Survive’",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/01/disneys-dana-walden-says-hollywood-layoffs-will-keep-coming-amid-tech",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-10-01T18:24:35.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "TheWrap",
    "slug": "thewrap",
    "url": "https://www.thewrap.com/industry-news/business/disney-dana-walden-hollywood-layoffs-takeover/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Since a series of mass layoffs began at Disney's streaming arm in 2022, the company has seen over 10,000 employees let go, with another 300 recent cuts announced in the HR and technology divisions. Entertainment President and Chief Content Officer Dana Walden, speaking at the Bloomberg Screentime conference, explained that these reductions are necessary for the \"evolution\" of the entertainment industry, which has already seen tens of thousands of job losses in recent years. Walden expressed her gratitude for the voluntary retirement program offered to long-serving executives during the latest round of cuts, which allowed them to decide when their careers would end, despite the company's ongoing transformation.\n\nWalden emphasized that technology has set its sights on the entertainment business, and Disney must adapt to survive and grow. In previous layoffs, Disney targeted marketing teams and departments such as ESPN, National Geographic, and Pixar, including the latter despite the massive success of \"Toy Story 5.\" The recent HR cuts are a part of the broader industry trend, with AI automation leading to job losses in human resources across various sectors. Since ChatGPT's launch in 2022, HR positions have decreased by 18%.\n\nWalden predicts that layoffs will continue in Hollywood, with the next round expected later this month following the merger of Paramount and Warner Bros. CEO David Ellison has promised to save $6 billion in efficiencies through the $111 billion acquisition. Walden advised Warner execs to approach these processes with compassion and support laid-off colleagues by helping them find new jobs and providing resources. She praised HBO chief Casey Bloys for his empathetic leadership, suggesting it would ease the transition for affected employees.",
  "summary": "The company laid off another 300 employees in HR and tech this week under CEO Josh D'Amaro The post Disney’s Dana Walden Says Hollywood Layoffs Will Keep Coming Amid Tech Takeover: ‘We Must Survive’ appeared first on TheWrap .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}