Lee Unkrich’s Biography
Lee Unkrich, a celebrated and affluent director, was born on August 8, 1967, in Cleveland, Ohio, United States. He gained widespread recognition as the director of the Academy Award-winning movie Toy Story 3, featuring Tom Hanks.
Additionally, Unkrich served as an editor for Ratatouille, starring actor Patton Oswalt.
Growing up in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, Unkrich honed his acting skills at The Cleveland Play House. He completed his education at the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts in 1990.
Before joining Pixar in 1994, Unkrich accrued several years of experience in television as an editor and director. He held the position of Vice-President of Editorial and Layout at Pixar.
Unkrich’s mother hails from a Jewish family, while his father embraced Judaism later in life. In recognition of his contributions to the cinematic arts, Unkrich was honored with the University of Southern California’s Mary Pickford Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011.
| Name | Lee Unkrich |
| First Name | Lee |
| Last Name | Unkrich |
| Occupation | Director |
| Birthday | August 8 |
| Birth Year | 1967 |
| Place of Birth | Cleveland |
| Home Town | Ohio |
| Birth Country | United States |
| Birth Sign | Leo |
| Full/Birth Name | |
| Father | Not Available |
| Mother | Not Available |
| Siblings | Not Available |
| Spouse | Laura Unkrich |
| Children(s) | Hannah Unkrich, Max Unkrich, Alice Unkrich |
Lee Unkrich’s Early life and career
Lee Unkrich grew up in Chagrin Falls, Ohio, as the only child of Emilie and Robert Unkrich. His father, an artist and World War II veteran who participated in the Normandy invasion, raised him in the Jewish faith. During his youth, Unkrich actively engaged in acting at The Cleveland Play House. He later graduated from the University of Southern California School of Cinematic Arts in 1990.
With a career spanning over two decades, Unkrich served as the Vice-President of Editorial and Layout at Pixar. Prior to joining Pixar, he amassed experience in television as an editor and director. Initially hired by Pixar for a short-term project in 1994, he ended up staying with the studio for 25 years. In recognition of his contributions to the cinematic arts, Unkrich received the University of Southern California’s Mary Pickford Distinguished Alumni Award in 2011.
On January 18, 2019, Unkrich announced his departure from Pixar to focus on spending time with his family and pursuing long-postponed interests. Subsequently, in late 2022, he revealed the completion of editing a book about The Shining, authored by J. W. Rinzler.
In 2023, Taschen published Unkrich’s book “Stanley Kubrick’s The Shining” as a limited collector’s edition. Unkrich edited the book, which was co-written by J. W. Rinzler and himself.
Lee Unkrich’s Filmography
Features
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Editor | Producer | Other | Voice role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1995 | Toy Story | No | No | Film | No | No | – | |
| 1998 | A Bug’s Life | No | No | Film | No | Yes | Additional Voices | Supervising |
| 1999 | Toy Story 2 | Co-Director | No | Film | No | Yes | Red Rocker | Additional Story Material |
| 2001 | Monsters, Inc. | Co-Director | No | Additional | No | Yes | Additional Voices | |
| 2003 | Finding Nemo | Co-Director | No | Film | No | Yes | Additional Voices | Supervising |
| 2004 | The Incredibles | No | No | No | No | No | – | Brain Trust – uncredited |
| 2006 | Cars | No | No | Additional | No | No | – | |
| 2007 | Ratatouille | No | No | No | No | No | – | |
| 2008 | WALL-E | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| 2009 | Up | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2010 | Toy Story 3 | Yes | Story | Yes | No | Yes | Jack-In-The-Box / Scotch-Taped Monkey | Additional Screenplay Material, Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| 2011 | Cars 2 | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| 2012 | Brave | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2013 | Monsters University | No | No | No | Executive | Yes | – | |
| 2015 | Inside Out | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2015 | The Good Dinosaur | No | No | No | Executive | Yes | – | |
| 2016 | Finding Dory | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2017 | Cars 3 | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2017 | Coco | Yes | Original Story | Yes | No | Yes | Elote Skeleton | |
| 2018 | Incredibles 2 | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2019 | Toy Story 4 | No | No | Additional | Executive | Yes | – | |
| 2020 | Onward | No | No | Additional | No | Yes | – | |
| 2020 | Soul | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | Special Thanks |
| 2021 | Luca | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| 2022 | Turning Red | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2022 | Lightyear | No | No | No | No | Yes | – | |
| 2023 | Elemental | No | No | No | No | Yes | – |
Television
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| Prison Stories: Women on the Inside (1991) | 1991 | Production Assistant |
| Silk Stalkings (TV Series) | 1991 | Assistant Editor, Editor, Director |
| Renegade (TV series) | 1993 | Assistant Editor |
| Betrayed by Love (TV) | 1994 | Assistant Editor |
| Separated by Murder (TV) | 1995 | Editor |
Documentaries
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| The Pixar Story | 2007 | Himself |
| Beyond Infinity: Buzz and the Journey to ‘Lightyear’ | 2022 | – |
Shorts and TV Specials
| Title | Year | Role |
|---|---|---|
| For the Birds | 2000 | Thanks |
| Mike’s New Car | 2002 | Special Thanks |
| Presto | 2008 | – |
| Toy Story Toons: Hawaiian Vacation | 2011 | – |
| The Blue Umbrella | 2013 | – |
| Toy Story of Terror! | 2013 | Extra Special Thanks |
| Toy Story That Time Forgot | 2014 | – |
| Lava | 2014 | Special Thanks |
| Sanjay’s Super Team | 2015 | – |
| Piper | 2016 | – |
| La Noria | 2018 | – |
| Float | 2019 | – |
| Loop | 2020 | Story Trust |
| Pixar Popcorn: A Day in the Life of the Dead | 2021 | Special Thanks |
| Cars on the Road: Gettin’ Hitched | 2022 | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
Lee Unkrich’s Ethnicity, religion & political views
Many people are curious about Lee Unkrich’s ethnicity, nationality, ancestry, and race. According to public resources like IMDb and Wikipedia, Lee Unkrich’s ethnicity is listed as Not Known. We will continue to monitor and update information regarding Lee Unkrich’s religion and political views in this article. Please check back in a few days for any updates.
On January 18, 2019, Unkrich made an announcement that he was departing from Pixar and the film industry to dedicate more time to his family.
Lee Unkrich’s Net Worth
Lee Unkrich is among the well-off directors from the United States. Based on our analysis of information from Wikipedia, Forbes, and Business Insider, Lee Unkrich’s net worth is estimated to be around $2.5 million.* (Last Update: February 3, 2024)
He graduated from USC’s School of Cinematic Arts in 1990.
Unkrich served as co-director for notable Disney films like Finding Nemo and Toy Story 2.
| Net Worth (2024) | $2.5 Million |
| Net Worth in 2023 | $2.5 Million |
| Salary | Under Review |
| Source of Income | Director |
| Cars | Not Available |
| House | Living In Own House. |
FAQs About Lee Unkrich
How old is Lee Unkrich?
Lee Unkrich is currently 56 years old.
When was Lee Unkrich born?
Lee Unkrich was born on August 8, 1967.
Where was Lee Unkrich born?
Lee Unkrich was born in Cleveland, Ohio, USA.
What is Lee Unkrich’s birth name?
Lee Unkrich’s birth name is Lee Edward Unkrich.
What is Lee Unkrich known for?
Lee Unkrich is known for his work on films such as Toy Story 2, Monsters, Inc., Toy Story 3, and Coco.
Is Lee Unkrich married?
Yes, Lee Unkrich has been married to Laura Century since September 5, 1993.
Does Lee Unkrich have children?
Yes, Lee Unkrich has 3 children, including Max Unkrich, Alice Unkrich, and Hannah Unkrich.
How many awards has Lee Unkrich won?
Lee Unkrich has won 30 awards.
How many award nominations has Lee Unkrich received?
Lee Unkrich has received 62 nominations.