Pixar chief to take leave of absence after allegations

This article is more than 12 months old

Nov 23, 2017 06:00 am

Walt Disney executive John Lasseter, who heads animation at both Disney and Pixar, told company staff on Tuesday that he was taking a six-month leave of absence following what he called "missteps", according to an internal memo.

"It's never easy to face your missteps, but it's the only way to learn from them," the 60-year-old pioneering director of Toy Story and its sequel Toy Story 2 said in the memo, in which he apologised to employees who felt "disrespected or uncomfortable".

"I especially want to apologise 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."

Entertainment trade paper The Hollywood Reporter was the first to report on Lasseter's leave-taking, describing a "pattern of alleged misconduct detailed by Disney/Pixar insiders" by him. - REUTERS