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Andreas Deja is a Polish-born animator who joined the animation department of Walt Disney Productions in the 1980s, and soon established himself as a supervising animator on several villains in Disney animated features. He is also known for his work for animating Mickey Mouse in his more recent animated appearances.

Early life

Deja was born on April 1, 1957 in GdaƄsk, Poland, but moved with his family to Dinslaken, Germany, in 1958. He credits seeing Disney's The Jungle Book as an 11-year-old with inspiring him to become an animator. After graduating from Theodor-Heuss Gymnasium (secondary school), he studied graphic design at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany.

Career

A lifelong fan of Disney animated films, Deja was hired by the studio in 1980 after he had corresponded with Eric Larson, one of Disney's senior Nine Old Men of animation who ran the studio's training department. The first film on which he worked was The Black Cauldron, during which time he shared a cubicle with future film director Tim Burton.

During his rookie days at Disney, Deja sought mentorship and practical advice from seven of the then-living Nine Old Men, who were already retired before his tenure. Deja has collected information on the Nine Old Men over the years, and has stated that one of his ambitions is to publish one book for each of the Nine Old Men.

Deja is best known as the supervising animator of some of the most memorable Disney villains: Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Jafar in Aladdin and Scar from The Lion King. He also animated Roger Rabbit from Who Framed Roger Rabbit, King Triton from The Little Mermaid, the titular character from Hercules, Lilo from Lilo & Stitch, Queen Narissa from Enchanted, Mama Odie in The Princess and the Frog, and Tigger in Winnie the Pooh. In addition, he is the current resident specialist for the animation of Mickey Mouse.

In 2006, at the 35th Annie Awards, Deja was awarded the Winsor McCay Award for outstanding contribution to the art of animation. Recently, he began a blog where he shares some of his collection of the work of the early Disney animators.

In 2015, he was named a Disney Legend at the D23 Expo.

Personal life

Deja is openly gay. His sexuality has been discussed as an influence on the development of some Disney characters.

Disney Filmography

Year Film Position
1973 Robin Hood Character co-Animator with Ollie Johnston: Prince John
1985 The Black Cauldron Animator: Gurgi, Dallben and Fair Folk
1986 The Great Mouse Detective Character Animator: Queen Mousetoria
1988 Who Framed Roger Rabbit Supervising Animator: Roger Rabbit, Bongo the Gorilla, Mickey Mouse, Cameos
1988 Oliver & Company Character Designer
1989 The Little Mermaid Directing Animator: King Triton
1990 The Prince and the Pauper Supervising Animator: Mickey Mouse
1991 Beauty and the Beast Supervising Animator: Gaston
1992 Aladdin Supervising Animator: Jafar
1994 The Lion King Supervising Animator: Scar
1995 Runaway Brain Supervising Animator: Mickey Mouse
1997 Hercules Supervising Animator: Adult Hercules
2000 Fantasia 2000 Animator: Segment Rhapsody in Blue / Animator: Mickey Mouse
2000 The Emperor's New Groove Additional Visual Development Artist
2002 Lilo & Stitch Supervising Animator: Lilo
2004 Home on the Range Animator: Slim and Junior
2004 Mickey's Twice Upon a Christmas Animation Consultant
2006 Bambi II Animation Consultant
2006 Brother Bear 2 Supervising Animator: Atka
2007 How to Hook Up Your Home Theater Animator: Goofy
2007 Enchanted Animator: Queen Narissa
2009 The Princess and the Frog Supervising Animator: Mama Odie and Juju
2011 The Ballad of Nessie Supervising Animator
2011 Winnie the Pooh Supervising Animator: Tigger

Gallery

External links


v - e - d
Walt Disney Animation Studios - Transparent Logo
1920s—1970s
Disney's Nine Old Men: Milt Kahl ‱ Frank Thomas ‱ Ollie Johnston ‱ Les Clark ‱ John Lounsbery ‱ Marc Davis ‱ Ward Kimball ‱ Eric Larson ‱ Wolfgang Reitherman

Animators: Bill Tytla ‱ Art Babbitt ‱ Lee Blair ‱ Preston Blair ‱ Fred Moore ‱ Shamus Culhane ‱ Cy Young ‱ Don Lusk ‱ Norman Ferguson ‱ Hal King ‱ Jack Hannah ‱ Dick Kinney ‱ Hal Ambro ‱ Ken O'Brien ‱ Judge Whitaker ‱ Bill Justice ‱ Don Bluth ‱ Gary Goldman ‱ Charles A. Nichols ‱ Blaine Gibson ‱ John Ewing ‱ Walt Stanchfield ‱ Rolly Crump ‱ Fred Hellmich ‱ Amby Paliwoda ‱ Wilfred Jackson ‱ Xavier Atencio ‱ Ben Sharpsteen ‱ Earl Hurd ‱ Dale Oliver ‱ Eric Cleworth ‱ David Hand ‱ Fred Spencer ‱ Julius Svendsen ‱ Jack Bradbury ‱ Kenneth Muse ‱ Rudolf Ising ‱ Hugh Harman ‱ Friz Freleng ‱ Walt Kelly ‱ Leo Salkin ‱ John Dehner ‱ Retta Scott ‱ David Swift ‱ Mel Shaw ‱ Jack Cutting ‱ Grant Simmons ‱ Art Stevens ‱ Frank Tashlin ‱ Wathel Rogers ‱ Tyrus Wong ‱ Johnny Cannon
Visual Development, Layout, Background Artists and Character Designers: Gustaf Tenggren ‱ Mary Blair ‱ Marjorie Ralston ‱ Lillian Bounds ‱ Joe Grant ‱ Mel Shaw ‱ Claude Coats ‱ Don DaGradi ‱ John Hench ‱ Eyvind Earle ‱ Ken O'Connor ‱ Thor Putnam ‱ Albert Hurter ‱ John Hubley ‱ Herbert Ryman ‱ Don Griffith ‱ Basil Davidovich ‱ Jack Boyd ‱ Peter Ellenshaw ‱ Ruthie Tompson ‱ Earl Duvall ‱ Retta Davidson ‱ Ub Iwerks ‱ Vance Gerry ‱ Hazel Sewell ‱ James Bodrero ‱ Lance Nolley ‱ Grace Bailey ‱ Maurice Noble ‱ Dale Barnhart ‱ Andy Engman ‱ Eustace Lycett ‱ John Emerson ‱ Joe Hale
Storyboard Artists and Writers: Bill Peet ‱ Ralph Wright ‱ Dick Huemer ‱ Floyd Norman ‱ Yale Gracey ‱ Ted Sears ‱ Erdman Penner ‱ Joe Rinaldi ‱ Winston Hibler ‱ Otto Englander ‱ William Cottrell ‱ Bill Berg ‱ Al Bertino ‱ T. Hee ‱ Homer Brightman ‱ Ted Osbourne ‱ Larry Clemmons ‱ Harry Reeves ‱ Jesse Marsh ‱ Chuck Couch ‱ Webb Smith ‱ Dick Sebast
Directors: Clyde Geronimi ‱ Hamilton Luske ‱ Jack Kinney ‱ Ted Berman ‱ Richard Rich ‱ George Scribner ‱ Riley Thomson ‱ Dick Lundy ‱ Jack King ‱ Burt Gillett ‱ James Algar ‱ Bill Roberts ‱ Larry Lansburgh
Producers: Walt Disney ‱ Ron Miller ‱ Ken Anderson ‱ Don Duckwall ‱ Perce Pearce ‱ Margaret J. Winkler

1980s—present
Renaissance Directors: Rob Minkoff ‱ Roger Allers ‱ Gary Trousdale ‱ Kirk Wise ‱ Chris Sanders ‱ Mark Dindal ‱ John Musker

Story Trust Directors: Ron Clements ‱ Chris Buck ‱ Byron Howard ‱ Don Hall ‱ Chris Williams ‱ Rich Moore ‱ Stephen J. Anderson ‱ Nathan Greno ‱ Fawn Veerasunthorn
Producers: Peter Del Vecho ‱ Clark Spencer ‱ Roy Conli ‱ Dorothy McKim ‱ Don Hahn ‱ Shane Morris
Chief Creative Officer: Jennifer Lee
Associated Figures: Bob Iger ‱ Roy Edward Disney ‱ Michael Eisner ‱ John Lasseter ‱ Ed Catmull ‱ Jeffrey Katzenberg ‱ Bob Chapek
Signature Voice Actors: Jim Cummings ‱ Alan Tudyk ‱ Katie Lowes ‱ John DiMaggio ‱ Maurice LaMarche ‱ Jodi Benson ‱ David Ogden Stiers ‱ Jesse Corti ‱ Paul Briggs ‱ Raymond S. Persi ‱ Phil Johnston ‱ Frank Welker ‱ Bill Farmer ‱ Brian Cummings
Signature Musicians: Robert B. Sherman ‱ Richard M. Sherman ‱ Alan Menken ‱ Kristen Anderson-Lopez ‱ Robert Lopez ‱ Lin-Manuel Miranda ‱ Howard Ashman ‱ Tim Rice ‱ Phil Collins ‱ Stephen Schwartz ‱ Marc Shaiman ‱ Danny Troob
Supervising Animators: Glen Keane ‱ Andreas Deja ‱ Eric Goldberg ‱ Mark Henn ‱ John Pomeroy ‱ Randy Haycock ‱ Dale Baer ‱ Tony Bancroft ‱ Tom Bancroft ‱ Tony Fucile ‱ Anthony DeRosa ‱ Russ Edmonds ‱ Randy Haycock ‱ Bruce W. Smith ‱ Duncan Marjoribanks ‱ Ruben Aquino ‱ Nik Ranieri ‱ Ron Husband ‱ Rick Farmiloe ‱ Tom Sito ‱ Tony Anselmo ‱ Will Finn ‱ Kathy Zielinski
Visual Development & Storyboard Artists: Dean DeBlois ‱ Claire Keane ‱ Brittney Lee ‱ Jin Kim ‱ Shiyoon Kim ‱ Ryan Green

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