Pixar chief takes leave after ‘missteps’
John Las set er, Oscar-winning animation pioneer, is taking a six-month sabbatical after unspecified claims of misconduct
Disney Animation and Pixar chief John Lasseter has announced that he is taking a leave of absence from the Emeryville-based company he co-founded after being forced to confront unspecified “missteps” that may involve allegations of inappropriate comments and unwanted “grabbing” and “kissing,” according to the Hollywood Reporter. In a memo to staff Tuesday, obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Lasseter, 60, said he had “recently had a number of difficult conversations” that have led him to face his “missteps.”
Lasseter is an Academy Award-winning pioneer in screen animation. After co-founding Pixar as part of the graphics group at Lucasfilm, he helped popularize film CGI with early films like “Toy Story,” “A Bug’s Life” and “Monsters Inc.” After Disney purchased Pixar in 2006, Lasseter was named the CEO of both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios. He has since become the “face of all Disney animation,” the Hollywood Reporter said, overseeing the studio’s recent resurgence with critical and commercial hits like “Frozen,” “Inside Out” and “Moana.”
He said in conversations with Disney executives it was decided that it would be best for him to take a six-month sabbatical from the company. “As hard as it is for me to step away from a job I am so passionate about and a team I hold in the highest regard, not just as artists but as people, I know it’s the best thing for all of us right now,” he said.
While Lasseter was vague on the “missteps” he said he had been forced to confront, he apologized for subjecting anyone to an “unwanted hug or any other gesture that they felt crossed the line in any way, shape or form.” Lasseter’s decision to take a break may in part have been sparked by the decision of Rashida Jones to leave the upcoming “Toy Story 4,” allegedly due to an encounter with Lasseter, according to the Hollywood Reporter.
Former Pixar employees, as well as sources in the animation community, told the Hollywood Reporter that Lasseter is well-known for hugging employees and others he comes across in professional encounters. Sometimes, he goes too far with “grabbing, kissing” and with “making comments about physical attributes,” the sources said.
Sources told the Hollywood Reporter that some female Pixar employees know to turn their heads quickly when encountering him to avoid being kissed. Some women also have been known to use a move they call “the Lasseter” to prevent him from putting his hands on their legs.