John Lasseter out at Disney

[NinjaPug]

LOS ANGELES—Walt Disney Co.’s top creative animation executive, John Lasseter, is leaving the company at the end of this year, the company said, following accusations that the executive touched and hugged subordinates in unwelcome ways.

The company said Mr. Lasseter declined to comment.

Disney is likely to name two replacements for Mr. Lasseter, one as creative chief at Walt Disney Animation Studios and one at Pixar, a person close to the situation said. The leading candidates are “Frozen” co-director Jennifer Lee for Disney Animation and “Inside Out” director Pete Docter at Pixar, this person said.

Mr. Lasseter has been away from Disney Animation and Pixar Animation Studios since November, when he started what was billed as a six-month leave of absence. At the time, he sent a letter to colleagues apologizing to “anyone who has ever been on the receiving end of an unwanted hug or any other gesture.”

One of the most visible creative executives in Hollywood, Mr. Lasseter is credited with building Disney Animation and Pixar into family-entertainment powerhouses.

He will work for Disney as a consultant through the end of this year before fully separating from the company, according to a company statement released Friday. For the remainder of this year, he isn’t expected to have an office at either Pixar or Disney Animation, according to the person close to the company.

Disney had considered bringing Mr. Lasseter back to the company in a creative capacity that stripped him of any managerial oversight, The Wall Street Journal previously reported.

Mr. Lasseter has been seen little if at all at Pixar or Disney Animation during the past several months, according to employees. Pixar’s next movie, “The Incredibles 2,” opens June 15.

https://www.wsj.com/articles/pixar-c...496233?mod=mhp