Pixar chief on leave over claims

Just days before Pixar’s was set to hit theatres, Pixar co-founder and Walt Disney Animation chief John Lasseter announced he was taking a six-month leave of absence citing “missteps” with employees.

The boisterous, Hawaiian shirt-wearing personality behind some of the most beloved children’s films of the past 30 years like Toy Story is the latest entertainment titan to be exposed for claims of sexual harassment and inappropriate conduct in the workplace.

In a vaguely-worded memo, Lasseter says he knows he has made some employees feel disrespected and uncomfortable.

“I deeply apologise if I have let you down. I especially want to apologise to anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture they felt crossed the line in any way, shape, or form,” Lasseter wrote. “No matter how benign my intent, everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected.”

The Hollywood Reporter published a story that said “unwanted advance” toward actress and writer Rashida Jones led to her departure from Pixar, where she had been working on the script for Toy Story 4.

Jones called that allegation in the Reporter story untrue.

“We did not leave Pixar because of unwanted advances,” Jones and her writing partner Will McCormack wrote in a joint statement. —AP