Skydance hires Lasseter

Pixar co-founder has been in limbo since admitted ‘missteps’ with women

Pixar co-founder and former Disney animation chief John Lasseter, who last year was forced out after acknowledging “missteps” in his behaviour with women staff members, has been hired to run the recently launched animation division of Skydance Media, the production company announced Wednesday. Lasseter, one of the most illustrious and pioneering figures in animation, stepped down from Disney last June in the wake of complaints about unwanted workplace touching. In a statement, Lasseter said he has spent the last year away from the industry in “deep reflection, learning how my actions unintentionally made colleagues uncomfortable, which I deeply regret and apologize for. “It has been humbling but I believe it will make me a better leader,” said Lasseter.

In a memo to staff, Skydance chief executive David Ellison emphasized that he didn’t take the decision lightly. Ellison said Skydance employed outside counsel to “thoroughly investigate the allegations” against Lasseter. “John has been forthright in taking ownership of his behaviour, apologized for his actions and has spent the past year on sabbatical analyzing and improving his workplace behaviour,” Ellison told staffers. #TimesUp, the organization founded to combat sexual harassment and gender inequality in Hollywood and elsewhere, sharply criticized the hiring of Lasseter. “Skydance Media’s decision to hire John Lasseter as head of animation endorses and perpetuates a broken system that allows powerful men to act without consequence,” it said. “At a moment when we should be uplifting the many talented voices who are consistently under-represented, Skydance Media is providing another position of power, prominence and privilege to a man who has repeatedly been accused of sexual harassment in the workplace.” Lasseter, 61, was a creative force behind every Pixar release and was an executive producer on Disney hits (including Frozen, Moana and Zootopia) released under his stewardship of the animation giant. He also directed the first two Toy Story movies, the first two Cars movies and A Bug ’s Life. In November 2017, in the aftermath of Harvey Weinstein’s fall, Lasseter announced that he was taking a six-month “sabbatical” from Disney. In June he and the studio announced they were cutting ties permanently. Skydance Media, founded in 2010 by Ellison co-produces and co-finances films with Paramount Pictures. Skydance in 2017 formed an animation division. Lasseter will set the overall strategy and creative direction of the division.