Disney Animation head John Lasseter will take a six-month leave of absence after confessing to unspecified “missteps”.
In a company memo, obtained by the Hollywood Reporter, Lasseter writes that he has fallen short in creating a culture that engenders “support and collaboration” and hints at behavior that he has been confronted about.
“I’ve recently had a number of difficult conversations that have been very painful for me,” he writes. “It’s never easy to face your missteps, but it’s the only way to learn from them. As a result, I’ve been giving a lot of thought to the leader I am today compared to the mentor, advocate and champion I want to be. It’s been brought to my attention that I have made some of you feel disrespected or uncomfortable. That was never my intent.”
Lasseter, who is one of the founders of Pixar and the director of Toy Story, also apologizes for letting employees down while adding more details about the conduct that has led to him taking a sabbatical.
“I especially want to apologize 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,” he writes. “No matter how benign my intent, everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected.”
In a statement, a Disney spokesperson responded: “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.”
The memo has arrived at the same time as an investigation by the Hollywood Reporter into complaints about Lasseter’s behavior. “You’d hug him and he’d whisper in your ear, a long time,” a former insider said. “He hugged and hugged and everyone’s looking at you. Just invading the space.”
It also lands just as Pixar’s latest film Coco is released in the US, with pundits predicting it to win out at the Thanksgiving box office. Lasseter was named chief creative officer of both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios in 2006.
News of Lasseter taking a leave of absence follows on from Jeffrey Tambor stepping down from his role in Transparent over reported inappropriate behavior and CBS deciding to cut ties with Charlie Rose after reports of misconduct.