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Jared Bush (born June 12, 1974) is an American filmmaker serving as the chief creative officer of Walt Disney Animation Studios since 2024.[1] He is best known for co-writing and co-directing the company’s animated films Zootopia (2016), its sequel Zootopia 2 (2025), and Encanto (2021), the latter of which won an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature. He also wrote the screenplays for Moana (2016), its sequel Moana 2 (2024), and its upcoming 2026 live-action remake. He also co-created and executive produced the Disney XD animated series Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero (2014–17).[2][3]

Early life and education

Bush was born and raised in Gaithersburg, Maryland. He attended Harvard University, where he was president of Harvard-Radcliffe Television.[4] He graduated from Harvard with a degree in English and American literature.[5][6]

Career

Bush was originally hired by Walt Disney Animation Studios on a “provisional eight-week contract”.[7] 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.[8] Several months after joining Disney, he had to personally pitch Zootopia to Disney chief executive officer Bob Iger. He later went to co-write the screenplay and co-direct the film. He returned to write the screenplay for Zootopia 2, the sequel to Zootopia, which he also directed alongside one of the first film’s directors Byron Howard. Bush and Howard alongside producer Yvett Merino received an Academy Award nomination for Best Animated Feature for Zootopia 2, but lost to Sony Pictures Animation‘s KPop Demon Hunters.[7] He also wrote the screenplays for Disney animated films Moana and its sequel Moana 2.[7]

Bush co-created the animated television series Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero.[9] In November 2018, Bush originally developed the Star Wars series Andor, writing a pilot script and series bible for the project.[10] In 2021, Bush directed another Disney animated film Encanto about a Colombian magical family alongside Howard with Charise Castro Smith as co-director.[11] Bush also co-wrote the screenplay alongside Castro Smith. Bush, Howard and Merino alongside another producer Clark Spencer won the Academy Award for Encanto.[12]

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.[1] Bush was named as her successor.[1]

Personal life

Bush is married to Pamela McDonald. The two met while students at Harvard. They have three sons.[5]

Filmography

Films

Year Title Director Writer Executive
Producer 		Other Voice Note
2000 What Lies Beneath No No No Yes Assistant: Mr. Rapke
2014 Big Hero 6 No No No Yes Creative Leadership
2016 Zootopia Co-Director Yes No Yes Pronk Oryx-Antlerson
Moana No Screenplay No Yes
2018 Ralph Breaks the Internet No No No Yes
2019 Frozen 2 No No No Yes
2021 Raya and the Last Dragon No No Yes Yes
Encanto Yes Yes No Yes
2022 Strange World No No No Yes
2023 Wish No No No Yes
2024 Moana 2 No Yes Yes Yes
2025 Zootopia 2 Yes Yes Yes Yes Jürgen Ziegenkäse/Pronk
2026 Moana No Screenplay No No Post-production

Television

Year Title Creator Producer Writer Story
Editor 		Composer
2000 DAG No No Assistant No No
2002 Baby Bob No Co-Producer Staff No No
2003 Totally Outrageous Behavior No No Yes No No
Dumber and Dumber No No Yes No No
2003–04 Who Wants to Marry My Dad? No No Yes No No
2003–07 All of Us No Co-Producer Yes Executive No
2014–17 Penn Zero: Part-Time Hero Yes Executive Yes No Yes

Short films

Year Title Executive
Producer 		Other Voice Notes
2022 Zootopia+ Yes Yes Pronk Disney+ Original short films

Unrealized projects

Awards and nominations

Award Date of ceremony Category For Recipient(s) Result Ref.
BET Comedy Awards 2005 Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series All of Us Jared Bush, Arthur Harris, Stacy A. Littlejohn, Lori Lakin, Jewel Wormley, Josh Wolf, Demetrius Andre Bady, Byron Hord, Ray Lancon, John Simmons, Rob Rosell, Chad Drew, Betsy Borns Nominated
Seattle Film Critics Award 2017 Best Animated Feature Zootopia Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Rich Moore Won
Alliance of Women Film Journalists December 21, 2016 Best Animated Film Won [15]
Annie Awards February 4, 2017 Outstanding Achievement for Writing in an Animated Feature Production Jared Bush and Phil Johnston Won [16]
Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of America May 20, 2017 Ray Bradbury Award Nominated [17]
Annie Awards March 12, 2022 Best Animated Feature Encanto Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Charise Castro Smith Nominated
British Academy Film Awards March 13, 2022 Best Animated Film Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer Won [18]
Academy Awards March 27, 2022 Best Animated Feature Won [19]
Hugo Awards September 4, 2022 Best Dramatic Presentation, Long Form Charise Castro Smith, Jared Bush, and Byron Howard Nominated [20]
Imagen Awards October 2, 2022 Best Director – Feature Film Won [21]
Nebula Awards May 21, 2022 Ray Bradbury Nebula Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation Charise Castro Smith, Jared Bush, Byron Howard, Jason Hand, Nancy Kruse, and Lin-Manuel Miranda Nominated [22]
Academy Awards March 15, 2026 Best Animated Feature Zootopia 2 Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Yvett Merino Nominated [23]
Annie Awards February 21, 2026 Best Feature Nominated [24]
Best Writing – Feature Jared Bush Nominated
British Academy Film Awards February 22, 2026 Best Animated Film Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Yvett Merino Won [25][26]
Best Children’s & Family Film Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b c McClintock, Pamela (September 19, 2024). “Disney Animation Shake-Up: Jennifer Lee Exiting as Chief Creative Officer, Jared Bush Takes Over”. The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved September 19, 2024.
  2. ^ “D23 Expo: Disney Reveals Animated ‘Zootopia’ for 2016”. Variety. August 9, 2013. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  3. ^ “Walt Disney Animation Studios Reveals New Zootopia Concept Art”. comingsoon.net. March 3, 2015. Retrieved December 9, 2015.
  4. ^ “HRTV Expands Its Staff, Increases Programming | News | The Harvard Crimson”. www.thecrimson.com. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  5. ^ a b “Encanto”. Society of Composers & Lyricists. Retrieved November 30, 2025.
  6. ^ “Jared Bush”. Animation Is Film. Retrieved January 2, 2025.
  7. ^ a b c Grimes, Christopher (December 1, 2024). “Disney Animation’s new CCO Jared Bush: ‘The goal is to make a timeless film — that’s the bar’“. Financial Times.
  8. ^ Julius, Jessica (2016). The Art of Zootopia. San Francisco: Chronicle Books. p. 9. ISBN 978-1-4521-5405-3. Retrieved February 6, 2017.
  9. ^ Siegel, Lucas (March 27, 2015). “Penn Zero: Become A Part-Time Hero with Sam Levine, Jared Bush, and Balls”. ComicBook. Retrieved June 27, 2022.
  10. ^ Andreeva, Nellie (November 30, 2018). “Disney+ ‘Star Wars’ Series Starring Diego Luna Taps Stephen Schiff As Showrunner”. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on June 9, 2019. Retrieved June 26, 2025.
  11. ^ Evans, Greg (June 22, 2020). “Lin-Manuel Miranda Confirms New Disney Animated Movie Set In Colombia”. Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved June 22, 2020.
  12. ^ “The 94th Academy Awards”. ANIMATED FEATURE FILM: ACADEMY OF MOTION PICTURE ARTS AND SCIENCES. Retrieved January 24, 2026.
  13. ^ a b Dave McNary (April 6, 2006). “Date’ kissed by New Line”. Variety. Retrieved December 15, 2025.
  14. ^ McNary, Dave (April 17, 2007). “New Line, Bush take a Mancation“. Variety. Retrieved January 12, 2017.
  15. ^ Merin, Jennifer (December 16, 2016). “2016 AWFJ EDA | Award Nominees”. Alliance of Women Film Journalists. Retrieved December 17, 2016.
  16. ^ McCue, Michelle (December 16, 2016). “‘Arrival’, ‘La La Land’, ‘Hell or High Water’ Among The Nominees for the 2016 AWFJ EDA Awards”. We Are Movie Geeks. Retrieved March 7, 2017.
  17. ^ “Nebula Awards Nominees and Winners: Ray Bradbury Award for Outstanding Dramatic Presentation”. Nebula Awards. Archived from the original on May 1, 2017. Retrieved August 2, 2017.
  18. ^ Hipes, Patrick (March 13, 2022). “BAFTA Film Awards: The Power of The Dog Named Best Film; Dune Leads with Five Wins and Dominates Crafts – Full Winners List”. Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on March 14, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  19. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (March 27, 2022). “Oscars: Full List of Winners List”. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on March 28, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  20. ^ Codega, Linda (September 6, 2022). “The 2022 Hugo Award Winners Are Here”. Gizmodo. Archived from the original on September 6, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  21. ^ Nordyke, Kimberly (October 2, 2022). “Imagen Awards: Encanto, Love, Victor Top Winners List”. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on October 3, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  22. ^ “2021 Nebula Awards Winners”. Locus. May 21, 2022. Archived from the original on May 23, 2022. Retrieved November 28, 2024.
  23. ^ Nordyke, Hilary Lewis,Kimberly (January 22, 2026). “Oscars: Full List of Nominations”. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on January 22, 2026. Retrieved January 22, 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  24. ^ Lewis, Hilary (January 5, 2026). “2026 Annie Awards Nominations: ‘Elio,’ ‘Kpop Demon Hunters’ Lead Film Nods”. The Hollywood Reporter. Archived from the original on February 6, 2026. Retrieved January 5, 2026.
  25. ^ Ntim, Zac (January 27, 2026). “BAFTA Nominations 2026: ‘One Battle After Another’ & ‘Sinners’ Lead The Pack — See Full List”. Deadline. Retrieved January 27, 2026.
  26. ^ Shafer, Ellise; Ritman, Alex (February 22, 2026). “BAFTA Film Awards 2026 Winners: ‘One Battle After Another’ Dominates with 6 including Best Film, ‘Sinners’ Earns 3 Prizes”. Variety. Archived from the original on February 22, 2026. Retrieved March 1, 2026.