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John Lasseter taking leave of absence from Pixar over 'missteps' - like an 'unwanted hug'
The head of Disney animation John Lasseter is taking a leave of absence from Pixar after admitting "missteps" in the way he behaved towards employees.
Lasseter, 60, is best known as one of the founders of Pixar and a pioneer of animated films like Toy Story, A Bug's Life and Monster's Inc.
In 2006, after Disney purchased Pixar, Lasseter was named the chief creative officer of both Pixar and Walt Disney Animation Studios.
In a memo obtained by The Hollywood Reporter, Lasseter said he had been "falling short" in his own behaviour.
He did not go into detail, except to say that he acknowledged his actions may have made staff feel uncomfortable.
"I’ve recently had a number of difficult conversations that have been very painful for me," he wrote.
"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.
"Collectively, you mean the world to me, and I deeply apologise if I have let you down. 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.
"No matter how benign my intent, everyone has the right to set their own boundaries and have them respected."
The Hollywood Reporter published a story that said an "unwanted advance" toward actress and writer Rashida Jones led to her departure from Pixar, where she had been working on the script for "Toy Story 4."
Jones called that allegation in the Reporter story untrue.
"We did not leave Pixar because of unwanted advances," Jones and her writing partner Will McCormack wrote in a joint statement.
"That said, we are happy to see people speaking out about behaviour that made them uncomfortable. As for us, we parted ways because of creative and, more importantly, philosophical differences."
A Disney spokesperson said the company was committed to maintaining a respectful work environment and fully supported Lasseter's sabbatical.