 | This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. The reason given is: Some of the existing sources, particularly those of social media, are inoptimal. (May 2025) |
McKenna Harris | |
|---|---|
| Born | McKenna Jean Harris Valencia, California |
| Alma mater | CalArts[1] |
| Occupations |
|
| Years active | 2015−present |
| Employers |
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McKenna Harris is an American film director, screenwriter, storyboard artist, and executive producer. They are best known for their work at Pixar, including directing the short film Ciao Alberto (2021) and the upcoming feature film Toy Story 5 (2026).
Early life
Harris was born in Valencia, California.[1] By 2014, they graduated from CalArts.[1]
Career
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).[2][3] 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 executive produced Elemental (2023).[4][5] In August 2024, they were announced to be making their feature directorial debut with Toy Story 5 (2026), alongside Andrew Stanton.[6][7]
Filmography
Feature films
| Year | Title | Director | Story Artist | Other | Notes/Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Ralph Breaks the Internet | No | Yes | No | [2][3] |
| 2019 | Frozen 2 | No | Apprentice | No | |
| 2021 | Raya and the Last Dragon | No | Yes | No | [2][3] |
| Luca | No | Yes | No | [2][3] | |
| 2023 | Elemental | No | No | Yes | Executive producer[5] |
| 2024 | Inside Out 2 | No | Story Supervisor | No | |
| 2025 | Elio | No | No | Yes | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
| 2026 | Toy Story 5 † | Co-director | No | No | In production[6] |
Short films
| 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 | [4] |
Television
| Year | Title | Notes/Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|
| 2015–16 | We Bare Bears | Character Designer; 41 episodes[1] |
| 2024 | Dream Productions | Pixar Senior Creative Team |
Accolades
| Award | Date | Category | Nominated work | Result | Ref(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's and Family Emmy Awards | December 10, 2022 | Outstanding Short Form Program | Ciao Alberto | Nominated | [8] |
| Outstanding Directing for an Animated Program | Nominated |
References
- ^ a b c d e McDonnell, Chris (August 25, 2015). "Artist of the Day: McKenna Harris". Cartoon Brew. Retrieved April 26, 2025.
- ^ 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.
- ^ "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
- McKenna Harris at IMDb
