Lasseter to Head Skydance Animation

Pixar co-founder John Lasseter has landed a new gig: running Skydance Animation. He’ll report directly to Skydance CEO David Ellison.

“John is a singular creative and executive talent whose impact on the animation industry cannot be overstated,” Ellison said in a press release announcing the decision. “He was responsible for leading animation into the digital age, while telling incomparable stories that continue to inspire and entertain audiences around the globe.”

Lasseter’s track record includes directing Toy Story, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story 2, Cars, and Cars 2, as well as executive producing all of the Pixar features beginning with Monsters, Inc. His responsibilities at Skydance will focus on overall strategy and creative direction for the animation division, and he’ll oversee production and operations.

“I’m grateful to David and the Skydance team and know that I have been entrusted with an enormous responsibility,” Lasseter said. “It is a distinct privilege that I will relish.”

Lasseter’s hire is not free of controversy. Lasseter has spent the last year on leave from his positions at Disney and Pixar after allegations of workplace misconduct. Lasseter addressed his “missteps” and offered a public apology 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.”

Ellison continued in his press release, “…we did not enter into this decision lightly. John has acknowledged and apologized for his mistakes and, during the past year away from the workplace, has endeavored to address and reform them.”

Lasseter, for his part, addressed the issue in his own statement as part of the announcement, saying, “I have 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.”

According to Variety, Lasseter’s contract with Skydance Media includes provisions that make him financially responsible for any legal claims involving sexual harassment, according to “multiple insiders”. The contract is also reported to indemnify Skydance from any past misconduct that have heretofore not been discovered.

In a letter to staff, Ellison said senior management had thoroughly evaluated the report put together by the company’s legal team, which conducted interviews with more than twenty people about Lasseter’s behavior. These details are attributed to “knowledgeable insiders”.

“While we would never minimize anyone’s subjective views on behavior, we are confident after many substantive conversations with John, and as the investigation has affirmed, that his mistakes have been recognized,” Ellison wrote in the letter. “We are certain that John has learned valuable lessons and is ready to prove his capabilities as a leader and a colleague. And he has given his assurance that he will comport himself in a wholly professional manner that is the expectation of every Skydance colleague and partner.”

Ellison’s full letter follows:

Dear Colleagues:

I wanted to share with you first some news that we are announcing today.

Industry visionary John Lasseter is joining us to lead Skydance Animation. John will be based in Los Angeles and will report directly to me.

Bill Damaschke will be transitioning from his current role, and we are hopeful he will choose to remain within the Skydance family.

The attached press release outlines the news more fully, but I wanted to share a few things that have informed our decision to bring John on board.

First, no one can dispute John’s legacy building Pixar and Walt Disney Animation into the leadership position they now enjoy. His creative vision and forward-looking approach to animation has transformed the entire industry. At his heart, John is a storyteller – with a unique ability to tell beautiful and emotionally-driven tales that resonate and inspire audiences around the globe.

Second, I know many of you are aware of John’s admitted mistakes in his prior role helming those
studios. John has been forthright in taking ownership of his behavior, apologized for his actions and has spent the past year on sabbatical analyzing and improving his workplace behavior.

Third, we employed outside counsel to thoroughly investigate the allegations, which we considered serious and have warranted our full attention as we made this important decision. The senior leadership team and I have all carefully evaluated the findings of this extensive investigation.

Let me be clear: we have not entered into this decision lightly.

While we would never minimize anyone’s subjective views on behavior, we are confident after many substantive conversations with John, and as the investigation has affirmed, that his mistakes have been recognized. We are certain that John has learned valuable lessons and is ready to prove his capabilities as a leader and a colleague. And he has given his assurance that he will comport himself in a wholly professional manner that is the expectation of every Skydance colleague and partner.

We are very hopeful and excited about what the coming years will bring, as John’s art transcends generations and cultures, while deeply resonating on a fundamental level with what makes us uniquely human.

The senior leadership team and I will be hosting a town hall for all Skydance Animation colleagues shortly to speak with you directly about this transition. Additional town halls at SDM and SDI will take place today and tomorrow.

Skydance Animation colleagues, please be on the lookout for a call-to-gather email. I look forward to speaking with you in person.

Thanks,
David

Ellison also held three employee town hall meetings this week to address any concerns over the move, emphasizing Skydance’s zero tolerance policy for harassment and telling staff that if Lasseter has any missteps again, he’s out. According to a report in Deadline, Skydance Chief Creative Officer Dana Goldberg and Chief Marketing Officer Anne Globe were among several female executives consulted about the hire, and they are said to have supported the decision.

The decision was questioned by prominent Hollywood groups including Women in Film, Los Angeles and Women in Hollywood, as well as the organization Time’s Up, which rose to prominence in the wake of allegations of sexual abuse by such Hollywood luminaries as Howard Weinstein, Brett Ratner, and Kevin Spacey. However, Skydance consulted with Time’s Up representatives in crafting Lasseter’s statement. However, it doesn’t seem to have been enough to satisfy the organization, which said the decision “endorses and perpetuates a broken system that allows powerful men to act without consequence. At a moment when we should be uplifting the many talented voices who are consistently underrepresented, 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.”

It should be noted that Lasseter has never been accused of criminal behavior. According to Variety, neither Lasseter nor Disney have ever settled any harassment claims during his years at Pixar.