Byron Howard

Byron Howard is an American animator, character designer, story artist, film director, producer, and screenwriter known for his contributions to animated filmmaking at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Howard's interest in animation began early, influenced by correspondence with Disney animator Frank Thomas, one of the studio's "Nine Old Men," whose mentorship guided Howard's academic and artistic development.

Howard began his career at Disney as a host of the animation tour at Disney-MGM Studios in Orlando before officially joining Walt Disney Animation Studios as an inbetweener and clean-up artist on "Pocahontas." He advanced to animator on "Mulan" and then to supervising animator on "Lilo & Stitch" and "Brother Bear." Within five years, Howard progressed from inbetweener to supervising animator, reflecting his dedication to the animation industry.

Howard made his directorial debut with the animated film "Bolt," which was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. As co-director with Chris Williams, he focused on character design and animation. He later directed "Tangled" with Nathan Greno and "Zootopia" with Rich Moore. These films are recognized for their inventive animation, character design, and storytelling. After "Zootopia," Howard served as a keynote speaker at the View Conference, presenting on the film's creative process and leading a workshop titled "The DNA of Disney Character Design."

Following "Zootopia," Howard collaborated with Lin-Manuel Miranda on "Encanto," co-directing with Jared Bush and Charise Castro Smith, while Miranda contributed songs. The film, centered on a Colombian family with magical abilities, achieved global success. Howard became the first LGBT director to win the Oscar for Best Animated Feature twice, for "Zootopia" and "Encanto," and has received four Academy Award nominations, with two wins.

Howard returned to co-direct "Zootopia 2" with Jared Bush, a film that follows Judy Hopps and Nick Wilde as they pursue a pit viper named Gary De'Snake across Zootopia. The film premiered at El Capitan Theatre in Hollywood and grossed $1.87 billion worldwide, becoming the second-highest-grossing animated film of all time. It was nominated for Best Animated Feature at the Academy Awards and won Best Animated Film at the British Academy Film Awards. Following its success, Bush began early sketches for a potential third installment.

Throughout his career, Howard has emphasized the collaborative nature of animation, highlighting how the medium integrates art, cinematography, writing, design, acting, and music. As a keynote speaker, workshop leader, and advocate for animation, Howard shares insights into the creative process and the teamwork that drives animated filmmaking.