Musicians including Sarah McLachlan and Jewel pulled out of performing at the launch of a new Disney documentary as the fallout from Jimmy Kimmel’s suspension continues.
McLachlan issued a passionate statement in support of free speech as she spoke to the audience explaining her move at the premiere of Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery on Sunday night. Disney owns the documentary’s distributor, ABC News Studios.
The documentary focuses on the pioneering music festival that McLachlan founded in the late 1990s to champion female solo artists and female-led bands. It launched on Hulu and Disney+ on Sunday.
A red carpet for Sunday’s premiere was mysteriously axed on Saturday night, according to Variety, with media receiving an email just hours before it was due to begin: “Please note this event will no longer be hosting a red carpet.”
McLachlan, Jewel and director Ally Pankiw were all due to walk the carpet and talk to the media. There was no reason given for the cancellation. The Hollywood Reporter noted the event eventually did hold a separate red carpet, without any members of the media invited.
A source familiar with the situation told the Daily Beast that attendees were then informed that a scheduled performance would also no longer take place. Attendees were told, “While the previously scheduled musical performance will not take place, we invite you to stay for a reception following the screening to celebrate the documentary.”
At the Sunday screening, McLachlan explained why the “surprise musical acts” teased at the event–reportedly herself and Jewel–were not playing.
“I know you’re expecting a performance tonight, and I’m so grateful to all of you for coming, and I apologize if this is disappointing, but we have collectively decided not to perform but instead to stand in solidarity in support of free speech,” McLachlan said, per The Hollywood Reporter.
The artists pulled out of performing “after Disney scrapped the red carpet,” Puck News reported on X, adding it was the “first notable talent consequence of the Jimmy Kimmel situation.”
During her speech, McLachlan said she “grappled” with launching the Hulu-distributed film given the “present situation.”
“The stark contraction to the many advances we’ve made watching the insidious erosion of women’s rights, of trans and queer rights, the muzzling of free speech,” McLachlan said.
“I think we’re all fearful for what comes next, and none of us know, but what I do know is that I have to keep pushing forward as an artist, as a woman to find a way through, and though I don’t begin to know what the answer is, I believe we all need to work towards a softening to let in the possibility of a better way, because I see music as a bridge to our shared humanity, to finding common ground.”
The Grammy-winning Canadian musician said she hoped the Lilith Fair documentary might be inspiring in the current political era.
“If Lilith taught me anything, it taught me there is a great strength in coming together to lift each other up instead of tearing each other down,” she said.
“So I really hope this documentary inspires everyone to continue to try and create positive change in your communities, to keep lifting each other up, keep championing the causes you believe in with kindness and empathy because ultimately we’re all in this together.”
The Daily Beast has contacted Disney, Hulu and reps for McLachlan and Jewel.
The Lilith Fair documentary features interviews with artists including Sheryl Crow, Olivia Rodrigo and Emmylou Harris. It probes into the female-only concert that made overwhelming ticket sales in the face of a battle against the music industry.
“Lilith Fair was such a special moment,” Jewel posted on Facebook on Saturday. “I’m so glad a film is documenting it! It proved so many people wrong who didn’t think the world would support women’s voices, and coming together to honor them was incredible.”
Jimmy Kimmel Live! was pulled off the air last Wednesday following conservative backlash to comments the host made about President Trump grieving slain right-wing activist Charlie Kirk.
Since ABC’s decision, some Hollywood voices have used their social media platforms to encourage followers to unsubscribe from Disney and Hulu channels.
Disney+ and Hulu have a combined 183 million subscribers according to their latest quarterly report.
Sex and the City/And Just Like That star Cynthia Nixon posted a video to her 1.8 million Instagram followers on Saturday.
“I just cancelled my Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions,” Nixon said. “They asked me why, I hit ‘other’ and wrote: Because I believe in the first amendment. Reinstate Jimmy Kimmel, now.”
Admitting that her family would miss watching Abbott Elementary and Only Murders in the Building, Nixon added, “We would miss the First Amendment a whole lot more. Don’t go to the theme parks. Don’t go on the cruises. Cancel your subscriptions now.”
Marisa Tomei, a star of Disney’s Spider-Man movies, shared an Instagram post calling for a boycott of Disney owned companies which also include Lucasfilm, ESPN and Pixar.
Tatiana Maslany, who starred in Disney’s She-Hulk, urged her followers to cancel their ABC-affilated streaming services.
“Cancel your @disneyplus @hulu @espn subscriptions!,” she posted last Thursday.
Lost creator Damon Lindelof vowed to stop working with Disney after they took Kimmel off air.
“I was shocked, saddened and infuriated by yesterday’s suspension and look forward to it being lifted soon,” Lindelof said last week. “If it isn’t, I can’t in good conscience work for the company that imposed it. If you’re about to fire up in my comments, just ask yourself if you know the difference between hate speech and a joke. I think you still do.”
Michael Eisner, who was CEO of Disney between 1984 and 2005, slammed the company’s decision.
“Where has all the leadership gone? If not for university presidents, law firm managing partners, and corporate chief executives standing up against bullies, who then will step up for the first amendment?”Eisner wrote on X.
“The “suspending indefinitely” of Jimmy Kimmel immediately after the Chairman of the FCC’s aggressive yet hollow threatening of the Disney Company is yet another example of out-of-control intimidation,“ Eisner added. ”For the record, this ex-CEO finds Jimmy Kimmel very talented and funny..”
The post Stars Cancel Performance at Disney Premiere in Call for Free Speech appeared first on The Daily Beast.
