Former Pixar Exec John Lasseter Hired By Skydance Animation After Dismissal Stemming From Sexual Misconduct Claims

In Hollywood, if you find yourself in the middle of a sexual misconduct scandal, it pays to be one of the biggest names in animation, apparently. After being ousted from Pixar (a company he co-founded), following Disney becoming aware of multiple misconduct allegations, animation pioneer John Lasseter has landed on his feet, as he has just been named the head of Skydance Animation.

The move was announced today, and signals a new chapter in the life of Lasseter, who found himself seemingly disgraced by his dismissal from Pixar.

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

He continued, “And yet 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.”

The hiring comes after reports from earlier in 2018 when it was rumored that Disney was working hard to find a way to keep Lasseter on the payroll, as they valued his contributions to Pixar. However, after the heat surrounding the executive grew too hot, it was announced that he would leave the company by the end of the year, which left him open to this new opportunity with Skydance.

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“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. 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.”

He continued, “I want nothing more than the opportunity to return to my creative and entrepreneurial roots, to build and invent again. I join Skydance with the same enthusiasm that drove me to help build Pixar, with a firm desire to tell original and diverse stories for audiences everywhere. With what I have learned and how I have grown in the past year, I am resolute in my commitment to build an animation studio upon a foundation of quality, safety, trust and mutual respect.”

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It’ll be interesting to see how the general public reacts to this move. For 99% of moviegoers, they probably don’t have any clue who Lasseter is, let alone his misconduct allegations. However, for those in the industry and those of us who follow the news, this move will likely be controversial considering how other Hollywood types have attempted comebacks in recent months, to varying degrees of success.