John Lasseter Accused of Sexual Assault

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thedisneyspirit
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

Post by thedisneyspirit »

It's obv Disney knew about this for years. I just find it a little coincidental that the info was exposed just on the same days that Coco premiered. Were they hoping for the movie to tank with this?
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Before you people get all excited about John leaving, do you really think there's no one else at TWDC with skeletons in their closet?
^^^This. Its easy to be angry now, but if sexual harassment is as wide-spread as claimed then I wouldn't be surprise if someone who is beloved by this forum is caught up in this and then what?
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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More reports from Lasseter's victims. The executives knew about all of this and covered it up.
As he was building Pixar into a pioneer of computer imagery and creativity — and then returning a foundering Disney to its former glory — Lasseter had developed a reputation for relentless borderline bullying conduct and for crossing lines into employees' personal space in the workplace.

One former Pixar employee, who worked at the Emeryville, California, studio during its early years, recalls that when she was alone with Lasseter, she was subjected to "unwanted touching. For the duration of a conversation, he'd have his hand on my upper inner thigh. He'd put his arm around me and pull me toward him, a brush against a breast." She says this sort of behavior went on several times a week for more than a year — and coupled with exhaustion from the long hours, it left her feeling "disgusting" and "depressed." (A second Pixar employee corroborated her story.) She finally quit.

This source declined to allow The Hollywood Reporter to publish her name, and another Disney insider notes there are others with similar stories who are still afraid to come forward, even as Hollywood has been flooded with reports of harassment in the workplace in the wake of the Harvey Weinstein scandal: "Because of the uncertainty of whether John will be back in six months or not, there is still fear in the air about speaking up."

According to several sources, the studios' leadership — Catmull; Andrew Millstein, president of Disney Animation; and Jim Morris, president of Pixar — recognized Lasseter's behavior was problematic. One source says it was "well known through the executive ranks." But given Lasseter's creative brilliance and track record of delivering hit after hit, "they shielded and protected him," adds a longtime Disney insider. This source adds that multiple employees "had talked to HR."
Source: https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/featu ... ow-1062361
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Personally, I've always felt that people who are aware of this behavior and help to cover it up are just as culpable as the offender. I doubt they'll be punished though.
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Even more incidents are surfacing. This is so disgusting.
People who had regular contact with the executive say Lasseter’s behavior extended well beyond the childlike exuberance hinted at in his statement to uninvited kisses or a hand that would stray to the leg during staff meetings. “He’s very tactile in a weird way,” said one former female executive who, like others, spoke with Deadline on condition that she not be named in the story for fear of reprisals. “He would rub my leg in a meeting…It was creepy and weird. It got to the point where I wouldn’t sit next to him in a meeting, because it undermined everything I said.”

There’s evidence Disney may well have been aware of troubling behavior on the part of the digital animation pioneer. Indeed the Pixar co-founder attended some wrap parties with a handler to ensure he would not engage in inappropriate conduct with women, say two people with direct knowledge of the situation.

Lasseter was observed passionately kissing a female subordinate at a 2010 Miramax party, according to an executive who witnessed the amorous display and another source who corroborated the account. The incident at the Oscar night celebration, attended by celebrities and Pixar and Disney executives, prompted high-level discussions about Lasseter’s conduct. The woman declined comment to a reporter who knocked on the door of her seaside home.

Two sources recounted Lasseter’s obsession with the young character actresses portraying Disney’s Fairies, a product line built around the character of Tinker Bell. At the animator’s insistence, Disney flew the women to a New York event. One Pixar employee became the designated escort as Lasseter took the young women out drinking one night, and to a party the following evening.“He was inappropriate with the fairies,” said the former Pixar executive, referring to physical contact that included long hugs. “We had to have someone make sure he wasn’t alone with them.”

One female executive with Disney’s consumer products group found herself the focus of Lasseter’s attentions, say sources who observed their interactions. During one trip to New York City for the annual Toy Fair, Lasseter and a group of executives met in the lobby of Trump International Hotel and decided to go out for a “nightcap.” As the group walked out onto Columbus Circle, one person saw Lasseter pull the female executive tightly to him and move his hands over her body. The female executive later sought to laugh off the encounter, saying she didn’t think her job description included “being groped by John Lasseter,” the observer said. “But you could tell she was pissed.” The woman subsequently left Disney and did not respond to emails and calls seeking comment.

Disney and Pixar declined to address questions on the record about Lasseter’s conduct, but behind the scenes, a chorus of denials have been leveled.
Source: http://deadline.com/2017/11/john-lasset ... 202213821/
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Huh, so that explains why Lasseter greenlighted the Disney Fairies in the first place and further why everything else in DisneyToon Studios was cancelled except for that.
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Sarah Airriess, an artist who worked on The Princess and the Frog, Winnie the Pooh, Wreck-It Ralph and Paperman at WDAS talks about the toxic, cult-like culture at the studio fostered by Lasseter.
I was female at Disney, so of course I heard things – the 'whisper network' as Variety calls it, though it was more brazen chat over lunch than hushed secret messages in shadowy corridors. Avoid him at wrap parties or anywhere there's enough alcohol. He's all right at work, but you should know. He's not a predator, he's “just really tactile.” That's just how he is. Oh, JL; chuckle, sigh, head shake. [...]

I won't deny it was a little gratifying to see the news break last night, and not because I harbour much resentment of his interpersonal behaviour, but because finally an unhealthy workplace culture and hierarchy would come under scrutiny. Lasseter sits at the top like a charismatic messianic cult leader – the Second Coming of Walt in all but name – and is both toadied to and unchallenged in ways I don't think he's even aware of. Everyone down the pyramid from him works around and towards him, angling for his favour, and he elevates whom he wishes. He has absolute power when presiding over creative meetings; the self-censorship based on anticipating what Lasseter will and won't like is systemic and almost, at this point, unconscious. His goldenboy-to-outcast-to-saviour story is powerful, and as he's brought us all such success, how can we question how he runs things, or his taste, or his conduct? He is successful, beyond successful, therefore he must be right.

I was expecting to wait a lot longer than a month and a half for the searchlight to land on Lasseter. Not just because 'no one would believe it' but because it's such a closed society with such a fervent dogmatic belief in The Pixar Way and Our Great Leader. People on the inside are conditioned against, and restricted from, talking openly to the outside world, and representations of the society to said world are very, very carefully controlled. [...]

Both Disney and Pixar are very good at channelling all the praise to one or two head 'geniuses,' so quite often the general public doesn't have the slightest clue who's responsible for what, or why there are so many names in the credits. It's not in the company's interest to have more celebrities on staff – they nominate and control the ones they use for publicity purposes – so they're hardly going to give credit where it's due, because then those people will feel enough job security that they might stand up for better pay, greater influence, and/or more realistic expectations. (There is more overlap between Disney/Pixar workplace culture and an emotionally abusive relationship than even the people who work there might expect.)
Source: https://tealin.dreamwidth.org/532585.html
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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JeanGreyForever wrote:Personally, I've always felt that people who are aware of this behavior and help to cover it up are just as culpable as the offender. I doubt they'll be punished though.

Oh sweet summer child...

They always know, and they always stay quiet. And it's not the victims or other "powerless" people the ones who are quiet, but it's always the rich ones who are always thinking in their self-interests. "Oh but If I follow what he says, then I'll get that big house by the beach, then I'll get that big role even though i'm already wealthy and have landed big roles before, etc etc..." Hardly any starving artist tbf. That's why i'm on the lookout for Ben Affleck.

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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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thedisneyspirit wrote:
JeanGreyForever wrote:Personally, I've always felt that people who are aware of this behavior and help to cover it up are just as culpable as the offender. I doubt they'll be punished though.

Oh sweet summer child...

They always know, and they always stay quiet. And it's not the victims or other "powerless" people the ones who are quiet, but it's always the rich ones who are always thinking in their self-interests. "Oh but If I follow what he says, then I'll get that big house by the beach, then I'll get that big role even though i'm already wealthy and have landed big roles before, etc etc..." Hardly any starving artist tbf. That's why i'm on the lookout for Ben Affleck.

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Don't even get me started on Ben Affleck. I've always despised him so I'm not surprised at all that he's known from the beginning, not to mention his own issues with sexual harassment, plus his brother. And while Matt Damon may be cleared for now, I don't trust him one bit either. He's always been too close to the Affleck brothers and helped Casey Affleck with his own allegations so he's clearly known stuff as well.
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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my gosh it just gets worse and worse! :o

btw was this toxic boy's club climate only happening within Pixar or was WDAS affected as well? I know Lassater supervised both but I assume they have different staff.
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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I've read claims from an accuser (a female artist on princess and the frog) that says this culture does cross over into WDAS as well.
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Kyle wrote:I've read claims from an accuser (a female artist on princess and the frog) that says this culture does cross over into WDAS as well.
Is she the same one whose thoughts I posted above?


An anonymous commenter on Cartoon Brew claims that other higher-up at Pixar were also engaging in inappropriate behavior with their subordinates.
I heard from someone back in 2005 that all of the higher-ups at Pixar were scamming on the interns in the company.
Source: http://www.cartoonbrew.com/artist-right ... 3638870446
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Anyone remember this little piece of propaganda?

https://youtu.be/4a4MR8oI_B8

At the time when this came out I remember feeling a sense of discomfort watching this and knowing that these people were working in a boy’s club workplace environment. I never had the idea that minorities and women had an equal voice. And we now know for a fact that they don’t.

There’s something disheartening hearing them tell LGBT youth ‘it gets better’ when in reality they were being subjected to a toxic workplace where everyone knew of bullying and sexual harrassment but had to look the other way to keep the dream job they’d been working their entire life towards. Did it really get better? Or do you just learn to live with it?

There should be no redemption for Lasseter or his kind.
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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PatrickvD wrote:Anyone remember this little piece of propaganda?

https://youtu.be/4a4MR8oI_B8

At the time when this came out I remember feeling a sense of discomfort watching this and knowing that these people were working in a boy’s club workplace environment. I never had the idea that minorities and women had an equal voice. And we now know for a fact that they don’t.

There’s something disheartening hearing them tell LGBT youth ‘it gets better’ when in reality they were being subjected to a toxic workplace where everyone knew of bullying and sexual harrassment but had to look the other way to keep the dream job they’d been working their entire life towards. Did it really get better? Or do you just learn to live with it?

There should be no redemption for Lasseter or his kind.
Thanks for posting that. I completely agree with all you said especially the last part. Now is the time to eradicate this type of behavior once and for all.
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Sotiris wrote:
Kyle wrote:I've read claims from an accuser (a female artist on princess and the frog) that says this culture does cross over into WDAS as well.
Is she the same one whose thoughts I posted above?
oh that right, there's just so much info coming out so fast it hard keeping track of who/what/where. Wow that's just awful, I wonder of the older guys like Glen Keane and Eric Goldberg and Musker/Clements were aware of this. Of course by the time Jon took over WDFA they probably weren't around much at the studio to witness the behavior repeatedly.

Also I wonder if this type of behavior was around during the Katzenberg era?
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Former WDAS artists, Sam Levine and Minkyu Lee, had this to say about the allegations against Lasseter. It's really telling that so few people in the animation industry have openly condemned his actions.
Sam Levine wrote:No investigation needed, it’s been a guarded secret for 20 years inside the companies. See the Vanity Fair article. Many people will share blame for this...
Source: https://twitter.com/Sam_Levine/status/9 ... 4350976001
Sam Levine wrote:I wonder what Bob Weinst- I mean Ed Catmull has to say about all this?
Source: https://twitter.com/Sam_Levine/status/9 ... 8990528513
Minkyu Lee wrote:Outsiders should note that nobody in the animation industry with personal working experience with him is like, "WHAAATT??? I HAD NO IDEA."
Source: https://twitter.com/MinkyuLee1/status/9 ... 3768002560
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Highlights from a new piece by The New York Times.
People at Disney (who were told not to speak to the press) described Mr. Lasseter’s effusive and often theatrical personality, and said he sometimes subjected women to prolonged bear hugs, inappropriate touching and kissing on the lips, incidents they said were usually fueled by alcohol. [...]

There has been growing disenchantment inside Disney with Mr. Lasseter, his unchecked behavior and the cult of celebrity that surrounds him, the people at Disney told me. Pixar has long been criticized for a Silicon Valley-style fraternity house atmosphere dominated by a close-knit group of white men. [...]

Mr. Lasseter has been the face of Disney animation for so long that few others in the division have become well known on Wall Street. “We don’t have much insight into the people below him,” Mr. Nathanson said. Disney hasn’t named a replacement for Mr. Lasseter during his absence, and finding a strong permanent replacement for him, if that becomes necessary, will be crucial not just for continuity but for maintaining the confidence of investors.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/busi ... pixar.html
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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PatrickvD wrote:Anyone remember this little piece of propaganda?

https://youtu.be/4a4MR8oI_B8

At the time when this came out I remember feeling a sense of discomfort watching this and knowing that these people were working in a boy’s club workplace environment. I never had the idea that minorities and women had an equal voice. And we now know for a fact that they don’t.

There’s something disheartening hearing them tell LGBT youth ‘it gets better’ when in reality they were being subjected to a toxic workplace where everyone knew of bullying and sexual harrassment but had to look the other way to keep the dream job they’d been working their entire life towards. Did it really get better? Or do you just learn to live with it?

There should be no redemption for Lasseter or his kind.
Not to belittle the situation, but do you really think that WDAS during say, the Renaissance, was a beacon for women, POC and LGBT voices? Animation being a boys club was been a historical problem. Here's a article from a few years back.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/arianelange/cr ... .egLAPWgdY
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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Sotiris wrote:
Pixar has long been criticized for a Silicon Valley-style fraternity house atmosphere dominated by a close-knit group of white men. [...]
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/07/busi ... pixar.html
This is the best description. :lol:
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Re: Lasseter Sexually Assaulted Women

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willard wrote:Not to belittle the situation, but do you really think that WDAS during say, the Renaissance, was a beacon for women, POC and LGBT voices? Animation being a boys club was been a historical problem. Here's a article from a few years back.

https://www.buzzfeed.com/arianelange/cr ... .egLAPWgdY
I never said it was so I don’t really get your point.

Considering the fact that an openly gay man was the creative drive behind the renaissance made it at least more of a diverse place than PIXAR. Howard Ashman wouldn’t have been able to get anything done under Lasseter.

Either way I agree that the boy’s club mentality has been a historical problem. What irked me is that they went out of their way to create this video pretending PIXAR is some kind of utopia with ultimate freedom of expression.
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