Nick Jonas Says Former Disney CEO Bob Iger ‘Was Among the First to Reach Out’ When the Jonas Brothers Reunited in 2019

NEED TO KNOW

• Nick Jonas looked back on his Disney beginnings while honoring the company’s former CEO in New York City

• Bob Iger was honored at the PAC NYC Icons of Culture Gala on Oct. 27

• Jonas is currently on tour with his brothers for their Burning Up Tour All Over Again, which is slated to wrap at the end of December

Nick Jonas is looking back on Disney’s continued impact on his career.

The Jonas Brothers musician, 34, spent his day off from the band’s Burning Up Tour All Over Again to pay tribute to former Walt Disney Company CEO Bob Iger, who was honored on Oct. 27 at the PAC NYC Icons of Culture Gala in New York City.

As part of the night’s program, which included speeches and musical performances from the likes of Good Morning America‘s Robin Roberts, World News Tonight’s David Muir, Samara Joy and Broadway performers Austin Scott and Isaiah Johnson for a rendition of “One Last Time” from Hamilton.

Jonas stepped on stage to introduce a performance of songs from Disney’s hit Broadway shows Frozen, Aladdin and The Greatest Showman — which is set to open in London’s West End in April.

To start off, Jonas reminded the audience that his connection to Disney dates back even further than the Jonas Brothers.

“When I first worked for Disney, I was just little Chip. Literally, I played Chip in the Broadway production of Beauty and the Beast when I was 9 years old,” Jonas said as a photo of himself dressed as the adorable character showed on the screen behind him. He had previously shown an image of himself dressed as the character in a TikTok video shared in 2024 ahead of his return to Broadway in The Last Five Years.

“Yep, that cutie right there is me,” he continued. “That kid had no idea that just a few years later, he’d be recording an album for Disney and starting a two decade relationship that would change his life in unimaginable ways.”

Jonas credited Iger for turning Jonas and his brothers Kevin and Joe into “bonafide Disney Channel stars.”

He went on to say that when the Jonas Brothers reunited in 2019, following a six year hiatus, the former CEO — who stepped away from the company in March — “was among the first to reach out.”

“That conversation led to two more movies, original music at parks around the world and another chapter in a story that I still can’t believe I get to live,” he said. “And this summer, that story came full circle. Joe, Kevin, and I were named Disney Legends right alongside Bob. The kid who played Chip and the man who believed in him inducted together. Bob, I can’t think of anyone I’d rather share this honor with.”

At this year’s D23: The Ultimate Disney Fan Event in August, Kevin, Joe, Nick and Iger were honored alongside Anne Hathaway, Chris Berman, Jerry Bruckheimer, Susan Egan, Eric Goldberg, Kim Irvine, Dwayne Johnson, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Alan Tudyk.

The Jonas Brothers are currently on their Burning Up Tour All Over Again, which kicked off in August with three sold-out shows at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. Their final performance is slated for Dec. 22 with a hometown show in Newark, New Jersey.

Read the original article on People