Skydance Animation experienced some expected blowback when they hired ex-Pixar boss John Lasseter to head their animation department. The blowback stems from Lasseter being accused of sexual misconduct in the past and consequentially being fired by Pixar because of it. And so, It was shocking to see Lasseter re-hired because, truth be told, most of the industry thought he was persona non grata in after that controversy.
The decision no doubt sparked a kind of puzzling reaction from industry execs, many of which would have probably loved to have had the very talented Lasseter head up their animation studios, but then Emma Thompson left production of the upcoming Skydance animated movie “Luck.” Thompson’s reasoning was quite simple: It was because of Lasseter.
She wrote a letter today about her decision:
“It feels very odd to me that you and your company would consider hiring someone with Mr. Lasseter’s pattern of misconduct given the present climate in which people with the kind of power that you have can reasonably be expected to step up to the plate,” wrote Thompson.
The actress continued, “I am well aware that centuries of entitlement to women’s bodies whether they like it or not is not going to change overnight. Or in a year. But I am also aware that if people who have spoken out — like me — do not take this sort of a stand then things are very unlikely to change at anything like the pace required to protect my daughter’s generation.”
Here is the full letter (via LA Times)