Entertainment
Disney Entertainment co-chairman Dana Walden received the Milestone Award at the 2025 PGA Awards on Saturday. She was presented with the honor by her boss — and previous recipient of the Milestone Award — Disney CEO Bob Iger.
“Over the span of Dana’s career, she’s probably had a hand in more television series than anyone in the business… which speaks volumes about her love of storytelling and creativity, her respect for creators, and the passion and dedication she brings to her job, to our company, and to the industry,” Iger said of his “colleague, friend and neighbor” Walden. “She is a visionary with great creative instincts, who has played a significant role in shaping the modern era of television.”
Iger spoke about giving Walden additional responsibilities over streaming soon after he returned as Disney CEO at the end of 2022.
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“She took to that new business extremely well, and she and Alan Bergman turned around our streaming efforts in ways no one thought possible,” said the chief executive, who is set to step down next year, with a succession process underway in which Walden has been among the lead candidates.
In her speech, Walden called working for Iger “a highlight of my career” and spoke of his “strong leadership” over the past month as the Hollywood community has been reeling from the devastation of the L.A. wildfires. A number of Disney employees were impacted by the fires, along with hundreds of others in the entertainment business.
“Like you, I’m not sure exactly what’s coming next for this city we love so much,” Walden, a lifelong Angeleno, said. “What I am certain of is that the people in this room will find creative, funny, and beautiful ways to remind us of the importance of the industry in this industry town.”
Acknowledging the many producers she has worked with in her top roles at 20th Television, Fox Broadcasting and Disney, Walden singled out “the amazing Ryan Murphy,” with whom she shares one of the longest and prolific executive-producer relationships that has yielded 20 series and counting, including Glee, the American Horror Story and 9-1-1. (Murphy reunited with Walden in 2023 when he returned to the 20th TV fold after five years at Netflix.)
“He’s taught me so much about how to be a good partner to producers and creators,” she said.
A highlight reel that played before Walden’s remarks featured Murphy, who called Walden “the best thing that happened in my career,” as well as Seth MacFarlane, Dan Fogelman and Sterling K. Brown sharing stories about working with her, including an anecdote by Murphy about how Walden invited him to the first test screening of Glee, which didn’t go well. Murphy recalled Walden saying, “They don’t understand it…gimmie two weeks.”
Walden was joined at the PGA Awards by her family, including her mom Sheril Freedman, a former musical theater performer who “was the person who taught me to love a great story,” Walden said.
In addition to her career and professional abilities, in his intro, Iger spoke of Walden’s character.
“Dana is both good at what she does, and just good,” he said. “She is warm, generous, a true joy to work with, and she cares deeply about people, particularly her family…almost as much as she cares about all those dogs of hers (including one that’s bigger than her.)”
The Milestone Award is given annually by the PGA for extraordinary contribution to the entertainment industry. Past recipients also include Louis B. Mayer, Walt Disney, and more recently Steven Spielberg, Sherry Lansing, George Lucas and Kathleen Kennedy, Clint Eastwood Donna Langley and Charles D. King.
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Nellie Andreeva