Kitchener man Chris Williams up for an Oscar nomination
Posted Feb 22, 2015 08:37:01 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
It’s Hollywood’s big night as the 87th Academy Awards are handed out in Los Angeles.
And movie fans here in Canada have plenty of homegrown talent to root for.
Director Chris Williams who is nominated for best animated feature for “Big Hero 6” grew up in Kitchener.
He attended the University of Waterloo, where his father was the Director of Counselling Services.
Williams says he is always trying to make films that are able to sit on a shelf long after he’s gone.
“We’re always trying to make films that feel like timeless Disney films that can sit on a shelf long after we’re gone. And at the same time, we do want to surprise people with what we create and give people something original and hopefully redefine at the same time what a Disney film can be.”
Williams returned to the U.S. roughly 20 years ago, when he was recruited from Sheridan College to work for Disney.
This is his second Oscar nomination, after earning a nomination for his directorial début on the 2008 film, Bolt.
This time, he’s nominated along with co-director Don Hall and producer Roy Conli.
Williams has applied his drawing talents to films including “The Lion King” and “Mulan”.
