Kenna Harris
Kenna Harris | |
|---|---|
| Born | McKenna Jean Harris Valencia, California, U.S. |
| Alma mater | CalArts[1] |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2015−present |
| Employers |
|
Kenna Harris[2] is an American filmmaker and storyboard artist. They are best known for their work at Pixar, including directing the short film Ciao Alberto (2021) and the feature film Toy Story 5 (2026).
Early life
[edit]Harris was born in Valencia, California.[1] By 2014, they graduated from CalArts.[1]
Career
[edit]In 2015, they began their career as a character designer on the Cartoon Network series We Bare Bears (2015–16).[1] In 2016, they joined Walt Disney Animation Studios as a storyboard artist where they worked on Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018), Frozen 2 (2019), and Raya and the Last Dragon (2021).[3][4] In 2021, they transitioned to Pixar Animation Studios where they served as a storyboard artist on Luca (2021), directed and wrote the short film Ciao Alberto (2021), and associate executive produced Elemental (2023).[5][6] In August 2024, they were announced to be making their feature directorial debut as co-director of Toy Story 5 (2026).[7][8]
Personal life
[edit]They are non-binary.[9]
Filmography
[edit]Feature films
[edit]| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Story Artist | Other | Notes/Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Ralph Breaks the Internet | No | No | Yes | No | [3][4] |
| 2019 | Frozen 2 | No | No | Apprentice | No | |
| 2021 | Raya and the Last Dragon | No | No | Yes | No | [3][4] |
| Luca | No | No | Yes | No | [3][4] | |
| 2023 | Elemental | No | No | No | Yes | Executive producer[6] |
| 2024 | Inside Out 2 | No | No | Story Supervisor | No | |
| 2025 | Elio | No | No | No | Yes | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| 2026 | Hoppers | No | No | No | Yes | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| Toy Story 5 | Co-director | Yes | No | No | [7] |
Short films
[edit]| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Other | Notes/Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Twenty Something | No | No | Yes | Story trust |
| Nona | No | No | Yes | Special Thanks | |
| Ciao Alberto | Yes | Yes | No | [5] |
Television
[edit]| Year | Title | Notes/Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | We Bare Bears | Character Designer; 41 episodes[1] |
| 2024 | Dream Productions | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
Accolades
[edit]| Award | Date | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's and Family Emmy Awards | December 10, 2022 | Outstanding Short Form Program | Ciao Alberto | Nominated | [10] |
| Outstanding Directing for an Animated Program | Nominated |
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e McDonnell, Chris (August 25, 2015). "Artist of the Day: McKenna Harris". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ Hipes, Patrick; Gomez, Dessi (February 19, 2026). "'Toy Story 5' Trailer Teases Toys Vs. Tech Storyline With Greta Lee Voicing Lilypad". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved February 23, 2026.
- ^ a b c d "McKenna Harris". Mubi. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b c d writeforanimation (March 5, 2024). "McKenna Harris (@kennnajean) is a story artist who has lent her talents to films such as "Raya and the Last Dragon"🐲 "Ralph Breaks the Internet"🌐 and Pixar's "Luca"🐟 She recently wrote and directed the Pixar short film "Ciao Alberto"🌊. We are excited to see what she creates next! #McKennaHarris #CiaoAlberto #WriteForAnimation". Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Fuster, Jeremy (August 9, 2024). "'Toy Story 5': Andrew Stanton to Write, Direct Pixar Sequel". TheWrap. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Garfinkle, Maddie; Pomarico, Nicole (April 19, 2025). "Toy Story 5: All About the Upcoming Film (and the Unexpected Character It Will Focus On!)". People. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ a b Wilding, Josh (August 10, 2024). "Disney And Pixar Share First Look At Toy Story 5, Incredibles 3, Inside Out Spin-Off, Frozen 3 And More At D23". Comic Book Movie. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ kennnajean (August 10, 2024). "YEEE-HAW! i'm co-directing toy story 5, and we've been having the best time with the best team ever! 🤠⭐️ so happy to be working with Andrew Stanton and my girl @jesschoismyth on this sweet, sweet movie". Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ "Post". bsky.app. November 17, 2024. Retrieved February 22, 2026.
- ^ "2022 CAFE Nominees (ALL) - The Emmys". Emmy Awards. November 1, 2022. Archived from the original on February 10, 2023. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
External links
[edit]- American animated film directors
- American animated film producers
- American storyboard artists
- Animators from California
- Artists from California
- California Institute of the Arts alumni
- Cartoon Network Studios people
- Film directors from California
- Film producers from California
- Living people
- People from Valencia, Santa Clarita, California
- Pixar people
- Screenwriters from California
- Walt Disney Animation Studios people
- We Bare Bears
- American non-binary writers