Lee Unkrich

Last updated

Lee Unkrich
Lee Unkrich cropped 2009.jpg
Born
Lee Edward Unkrich

(1967-08-08) August 8, 1967 (age 57)
Cleveland, Ohio, U.S.
Alma mater University of Southern California
Occupations
  • Film editor
  • director
  • writer
Years active1990–present
Employer Pixar Animation Studios (1994–2019)
Spouse
Laura Century
(m. 1993)
[1]
Children3 [1]
Awards Academy Award for Best Animated Feature
Toy Story 3 (2010)
Coco (2017)

Lee Edward Unkrich (born August 8, 1967) is an American film director, editor and writer. He is best known for his work with animation studio Pixar, which he joined in 1994 as an editor before being credited as a co-director on Toy Story 2 (1999).

Contents

Following the film's success, Unkrich served a similar role for the films Monsters, Inc. (2001) and Finding Nemo (2003) before making his solo directorial debut with Toy Story 3 (2010). The film, along with the second of which he directed, Coco (2017), both won two Academy Awards: Best Animated Feature and Best Original Song.

After his 25-year tenure at the company, Unkrich retired in January 2019 to spend more time with his family and pursue other interests. [2] [3]

Early life and career

Unkrich was raised in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, the only child of Emilie Unkrich and Robert Unkrich. His father was a World War II veteran ("He stormed the beach at Normandy") and artist. [4] Unkrich was raised in the Jewish faith. [5] He spent his youth acting at The Cleveland Play House. Unkrich graduated from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts in 1990. [6]

Unkrich was Vice-President of Editorial and Layout at Pixar.[ citation needed ] Before joining the studio, Unkrich worked for several years in television as an editor and director. In 1994 he was hired by Pixar as a short-term employee for a period of four weeks, but ended up staying for 25 years. [7] He is the 2011 recipient of the University of Southern California's Mary Pickford Distinguished Alumni Award recognizing alumni contributions to the cinematic arts.[ citation needed ]

On January 18, 2019, Unkrich announced he was leaving Pixar to spend time with his family and pursue interests that have "long been back-burnered." [8] [9] In 2023, Unkrich was revealed to have occasionally consulted at Pixar since leaving in 2019. [10]

In late 2022 he announced he had completed editing a book about The Shining , written by J. W. Rinzler. [11]

In 2023, Taschen released Unkrich's book Stanley Kubrick's The Shining in a limited collector's edition. The book was edited by Unkrich, and written by J. W. Rinzler and Unkrich.

Personal life

Unkrich is married to Laura Century and they have three children. [1] Unkrich came out as bisexual to his family and friends in 2021 and came out publicly in 2022. [12] [13]

Filmography

Features

YearTitle Director (Original)
Story by
Film
Editor
Executive
Producer
Other Voice Role Notes
1995 Toy Story NoNoYesNoNo
1998 A Bug's Life NoNoSupervisingNoYesAdditional Voices
1999 Toy Story 2 Co-DirectorNoYesNoYesRed Rocker [14] Additional Story Material
2001 Monsters, Inc. Co-DirectorNoAdditionalNoYesAdditional Voices
2003 Finding Nemo Co-DirectorNoSupervisingNoYesAdditional Voices
2004 The Incredibles NoNoNoNoNoBrain Trust - uncredited
2006 Cars NoNoAdditionalNoNo
2007 Ratatouille NoNoNoNoNo
2008 WALL-E NoNoNoNoYesPixar Senior Creative Team
2009 Up NoNoNoNoYes
2010 Toy Story 3 YesYesYesNoYesJack-In-The-Box / Scotch-Taped MonkeyAdditional Screenplay Material
Pixar Senior Creative Team
2011 Cars 2 NoNoNoNoYesPixar Senior Creative Team
2012 Brave NoNoNoNoYes
2013 Monsters University NoNoNoYesYes
2015 Inside Out NoNoNoNoYes
The Good Dinosaur NoNoNoYesYes
2016 Finding Dory NoNoNoNoYes
2017 Cars 3 NoNoNoNoYes
Coco YesYesYesNoYesElote Skeleton
2018 Incredibles 2 NoNoNoNoYes
2019 Toy Story 4 NoNoAdditionalYesYes
2020 Onward NoNoAdditionalNoYes
Soul NoNoNoNoYesSpecial Thanks
2021 Luca NoNoNoNoYesPixar Senior Creative Team
2022 Turning Red NoNoNoNoYes
Lightyear NoNoNoNoYes
2023 Elemental NoNoNoNoYes

Television

Documentaries

YearTitleRole
2007 The Pixar Story Himself
2022Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to 'Lightyear' [15]

Shorts and TV specials

YearTitleRole
2000 For the Birds Thanks
2002 Mike's New Car Special Thanks
2008 Presto
2011 Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation
2013 The Blue Umbrella
Toy Story of Terror! Extra Special Thanks
2014 Toy Story That Time Forgot
Lava Special Thanks
2015 Sanjay's Super Team
2016 Piper
2018La Noria
2019 Float
2020 Loop Story Trust
2021Pixar Popcorn: A Day in the Life of the DeadSpecial Thanks
2022 Cars on the Road: Gettin’ HitchedPixar Senior Creative Team

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<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pixar</span> American computer animation studio (founded 1986)

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Toy Story 2 is a 1999 American animated adventure comedy film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the sequel to Toy Story (1995) and the second installment in the Toy Story franchise. The film was directed by John Lasseter, co-directed by Ash Brannon and Lee Unkrich, and produced by Helene Plotkin and Karen Robert Jackson, from a screenplay written by Andrew Stanton, Rita Hsiao, Doug Chamberlin, and Chris Webb, and a story conceived by Lasseter, Stanton, Brannon, and Pete Docter. Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Don Rickles, Jim Varney, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Annie Potts, R. Lee Ermey, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf and Jeff Pidgeon reprise their roles from the first Toy Story film. In the film, Woody is stolen by a greedy toy collector, prompting Buzz Lightyear and his friends to save him, but Woody is then tempted by the idea of immortality in a museum.

<i>Toy Story 3</i> 2010 Pixar film

Toy Story 3 is a 2010 American animated comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures. It is the third installment in the Toy Story series and the sequel to Toy Story 2 (1999). It was directed by Lee Unkrich, the editor of the first two films and the co-director of Toy Story 2, produced by Darla K. Anderson, and written by Michael Arndt, while Unkrich wrote the story along with John Lasseter and Andrew Stanton, respectively, director and co-writer of the first two films. The film's ensemble voice cast includes Tom Hanks, Tim Allen, Joan Cusack, Don Rickles, Wallace Shawn, John Ratzenberger, Estelle Harris, Jeff Pidgeon, Jodi Benson, John Morris, Laurie Metcalf, and R. Lee Ermey. In Toy Story 3, Andy Davis, now a teenager, is going to college. Woody, Buzz Lightyear and the other toys are accidentally donated to Sunnyside Daycare, a daycare center, by Andy's mother, and the toys must decide where their loyalties lie.

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Coco is a 2017 American animated fantasy comedy-drama film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. It was directed by Lee Unkrich, co-directed by Adrian Molina, and produced by Darla K. Anderson, from a screenplay written by Molina and Matthew Aldrich, and a story by Unkrich, Molina, Aldrich, and Jason Katz, based on an original idea conceived by Unkrich. The film stars the voices of Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía, and Edward James Olmos. The story follows a 12-year-old boy named Miguel (Gonzalez) who is accidentally transported to the Land of the Dead, where he seeks the help of his deceased musician great-great-grandfather to return him to his family and reverse their ban on music.

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<i>Lightyear</i> (film) 2022 Pixar film

Lightyear is a 2022 American animated science-fiction action-adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios and released by Walt Disney Pictures. Presented as a film within a film, Lightyear is a spin-off of the Toy Story film series and centers on the character Buzz Lightyear, who appears in Toy Story as an action figure of his character in Lightyear. The film was directed by Angus MacLane and produced by Galyn Susman, from a screenplay and story written by MacLane and Jason Headley, both of whom co-wrote the latter with Matthew Aldrich. It stars Chris Evans as the voice of the title character, with Keke Palmer, Peter Sohn, Taika Waititi, Dale Soules, James Brolin, and Uzo Aduba in supporting roles. The film follows Lightyear who, after being marooned on the hostile planet T'Kani Prime with his commander and crew, tries to find a way back home while encountering a threat to the universe's safety.

References

  1. 1 2 3 O'Connor, Michael "Clint" (June 12, 2010). "'Toy Story 3': Director Lee Unkrich, from Chagrin Falls, doesn't want to break Pixar's golden streak". Cleveland.com. City of Cleveland, State of Ohio. Archived from the original on September 10, 2018. Retrieved January 26, 2013.
  2. "'Toy Story 3,' 'Coco' Director Lee Unkrich Leaving Pixar After 25 Years (Exclusive)". The Hollywood Reporter. January 18, 2019. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  3. Seddon, Dan (January 20, 2019). "Toy Story 3 and Coco director Lee Unkrich leaves Disney Pixar". Digital Spy. Archived from the original on January 23, 2019. Retrieved January 23, 2019.
  4. Unkrich, Lee [@leeunkrich] (December 11, 2017). "My father, Bob Unkrich, died tonight at 93. He was an artist and a World War II Army hero. He stormed the beach at Normandy. I'm so thankful I was able to spend time with him last week and show him Coco. He loved it. He'll be on our ofrenda next year. I'll always remember him. https://t.co/ShvCMB0ZLQ" (Tweet). Archived from the original on December 11, 2017. Retrieved December 2, 2022 via Twitter.
  5. "'Coco' Ready for Thanksgiving Weekend Fireworks at the Box Office". November 21, 2017. Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 27, 2017.
  6. Notable Alumni Archived August 26, 2009, at the Wayback Machine , USC School of Cinematic Arts; accessed March 10, 2008.
  7. Unkrich Talks 'Toy Story' Trilogy | Animation World Network
  8. Welk, Brian (January 18, 2019). "Lee Unkrich, Director of 'Coco' and 'Toy Story 3,' to Leave Pixar After 25 Years". The Wrap. Archived from the original on January 19, 2019. Retrieved January 18, 2019.
  9. Evangelista, Christiano (January 18, 2019). "'Coco' and 'Toy Story 3' Director Lee Unkrich Leaving Pixar After 25 Years". slashfilm.com. Archived from the original on October 26, 2020. Retrieved August 23, 2020. After twenty-five incredible years, I've decided to leave Pixar. The time has come for new adventures. I'm not leaving to make films at another studio; instead, I look forward to spending much-needed time with my family and pursuing interests that have long been back-burnered.
  10. Taylor, Drew (July 5, 2023). "Inside Pixar's Existential Crisis and How It Can Bounce Back After Disney+ Stole Its Mojo". TheWrap . Retrieved May 7, 2024.
  11. 'I got a bit drunk with the twins': Toy Story 3's Lee Unkrich on his obsession with The Shining
  12. Unkrich, Lee [@leeunkrich] (March 8, 2022). "@beames_josh @DanaLightyear I actually merely posted the bi pride flag on Bisexual Awareness Day. Just making sure you have your facts correct. That said, yes I am. 😊🏳️🌈" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 3, 2022. Retrieved December 2, 2022 via Twitter.
  13. Unkrich, Lee [@leeunkrich] (October 11, 2022). "Coming out last year was the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm grateful for the support of my family and friends. I stand with those who have always been out, those who have recently come out, and especially those who cannot or aren't ready to come out. #NationalComingOutDay https://t.co/JOJlop1M73" (Tweet). Retrieved December 2, 2022 via Twitter.
  14. "Beloved Pixar Characters Voiced by Pixar Filmmakers". Oh My Disney. August 26, 2016. Archived from the original on February 24, 2021. Retrieved March 11, 2021.
  15. T.J. Wolsos (June 10, 2022). "Buzz Lightyear Documentary 'Beyond Infinity' Now on Disney+". Pixar Post. Retrieved July 2, 2022.