The Hollywood Reporter reported on Tuesday that John Lasseter, chief creative officer of
Pixar Animation Studios and
Walt Disney Animation Studios, is taking a six-month leave of absence after Lasseter's alleged sexual misconduct within the company. Lasseter's memo acknowledged recent "difficult conversations" and "missteps."
In his full memo he says the following:
"I have always wanted our animation studios to be places where creators can explore their vision with the support and collaboration of other gifted animators and storytellers," Lasseter stated. "This kind of creative culture takes constant vigilance to maintain. It's built on trust and respect, and it becomes fragile if any members of the team don't feel valued. As a leader, it's my responsibility to ensure that doesn't happen; and I now believe I have been falling short in this regard."
The executive added: "I've recently had a number of difficult conversations that have been very painful for me. It's never easy to face your missteps, but it's the only way to learn from them."
Multiple sources at
Pixar and in the animation community spoke about Lasseter's alleged behavior but asked not to be named out of fear that their careers in the tight-knit animation community would be damaged. Based on their accounts, the alleged incident involving Jones was not an isolated occurrence.
One longtime
Pixar employee says Lasseter, who is well-known for hugging employees and others in the entertainment community, was also known by insiders for "grabbing, kissing, making comments about physical attributes." Multiple sources say Lasseter is known to drink heavily at company social events such as premiere parties, but this source says the behavior was not always confined to such settings.
Sources say some women at
Pixar knew to turn their heads quickly when encountering him to avoid his kisses. Some used a move they called "the Lasseter" to prevent their boss from putting his hands on their legs.
A longtime insider says he saw a woman seated next to Lasseter in a meeting that occurred more than 15 years ago. "She was bent over and [had her arm] across her thigh," he says. "The best I can describe it is as a defensive posture ... John had his hand on her knee, though, moving around." After that encounter, this person asked the woman about what he had seen. "She said it was unfortunate for her to wear a skirt that day and if she didn't have her hand on her own right leg, his hand would have traveled."
Another former insider remembers awkward encounters with Lasseter, who liked to hug in meetings. "You'd hug him and he'd whisper in your ear, a long time," this person says. "He hugged and hugged and everyone's looking at you. Just invading the space."
Disney has left a statement regarding Lasseter's leave of absence and it reads, "We are committed to maintaining an environment in which all employees are respected and empowered to do their best work. We appreciate John’s candor and sincere apology and fully support his sabbatical."
Lasseter is best known as one of the founders of
Pixar, which began as a part of the graphics group at
Lucasfilm. Along with Ed Catmull, he popularized CGI in animation with early films like
Monsters Inc. In 2006, after Disney purchased Pixar, Lasseter was named the chief creative officer of both
Pixar and
Walt Disney Animation Studios. He has since become the face of all
Disney animation, overseeing the recent resurgence of the studio's namesake brand with properties like
Frozen and
Moana.
According to a "current Pixar employee" cited by Vanity Fair, there is talk within the studio that
Monsters Inc.,
Up, and
Inside Out director Pete Docter may replace Lasseter as chief creative officer at
Pixar.
What are your thoughts regarding the news? Are you a fan of his animated films? What do you think will happen at
Pixar now? Let us know what your thoughts are in the comment section down below!