Emilio Estevez Reveals Long COVID Battle, Skips Disclosing Vax Status, Amid ‘Mighty Ducks’ Exit

Emilio Estevez may or may not be vaccinated, but he was left with a case of what he referred to as “Long Haul Syndrome” after being diagnosed with COVID-19 last March. That’s according to a lengthy statement the actor sent to Deadline in response to reports that he would not be returning for a second season of the Mighty Ducks sequel series over a dispute to do with coronavirus regulations on set. In his statement, Estevez vehemently denied being “anti-vaxx,” and said that his departure had been triggered by “nothing more than a good old fashioned contract dispute” and “a myriad of creative differences.”

On Nov. 5, Deadline reported that Estevez and Disney suits were butting heads over the second season’s vaccination requirement, with sources saying the star had “declined to provide assurances that he would comply with the policy.” This, according to Deadline, led to executives’ decision not to renew Estevez’s contract. Though the actor said in his statement that he is “often teased about my continued following of the safety protocols and my abundance of caution,” he notably failed to disclose his vaccination status.