Jared Bush

Jared Bush (born June 12, 1974) is an American filmmaker, who has served as the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios since 2024. He is best known for co-writing and co-directing the company's animated films '' Zootopia'' (2016), its upcoming sequel '' Zootopia 2'' (2025) and '' Encanto'' (2021), with the latter he won an Academy Award for the Best Animated Feature, and writing the screenplays for '' Moana'' (2016), its sequel '' Moana 2'' (2024) and the 2026 upcoming live-action remake. He also co-created and executive produced the Disney XD animated series '' Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero''.

Early life and education

Bush was born and raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He graduated Harvard University, which he earned his Bachelor of arts degree.

Career

Bush was originally hired by Walt Disney Animation Studios on a "provisional eight-week contract". He joined the '' Zootopia'' project early on, before it evolved from a spy film into a police procedural; he was excited to work on a spy film because both his father and grandfather had worked for the Central Intelligence Agency. Several months after joining Disney, he had to personally pitch ''Zootopia'' to Disney chief executive officer Bob Iger.

He went on to write the screenplays for the films '' Moana'' and its sequel '' Moana 2''.

Bush co-created the animated television series '' Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero''. In 2021, Bush directed '' Encanto'' about a Colombian magical family alongside Byron Howard with Charise Castro Smith as co-director. Bush also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Castro Smith.

On September 19, 2024, Disney Animation announced that chief creative officer Jennifer Lee was stepping down from that position to direct and write ''Frozen 3'' and to write and executive produce ''Frozen 4''. Bush was named as her successor.

Filmography

Films

Television

Short films

Unrealized projects

* ''Mancation''

Awards and nominations

References

External links

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{{DEFAULTSORT:Bush, Jared
Living people
American animated film directors
American animated film producers
American chief executives
American chief executives in the mass media industry
American film studio executives
Animation screenwriters
American television writers
Place of birth missing (living people)
American male screenwriters
Annie Award winners
Disney executives
Walt Disney Animation Studios people
1974 births
American male television writers
Directors of Best Animated Feature Academy Award winners
Disney Television Animation people
Harvard College alumni
Children's and Family Emmy Award winners