Andreas Deja

Andreas Deja was ten years old when he first applied for a job as a Disney animator. The Walt Disney Studios wrote back to Deja telling him that they had no openings, but were always on the lookout for new talent. At the age of 20, he applied again and was accepted. This launched a long and successful career with Disney. Deja has left his mark on some of the most memorable and successful Disney animated features and shorts. His early work includes animation and character design for The Great...See more

Andreas Deja was ten years old when he first applied for a job as a Disney animator. The Walt Disney Studios wrote back to Deja telling him that they had no openings, but were always on the lookout for new talent. At the age of 20, he applied again and was accepted. This launched a long and successful career with Disney. Deja has left his mark on some of the most memorable and successful Disney animated features and shorts. His early work includes animation and character design for The Great Mouse Detective , Oliver & Company , and Who Framed Roger Rabbit . In addition, he is known for his animation of some of Disney's most evil villains: Gaston, Jafar, and Scar. The list of memorable characters continues with King Triton, Mickey Mouse, Hercules, Lilo, Goofy, Tigger, Mama Odie, and Juju. In 2006, at the 35th Annie Awards, Deja was awarded the Winsor McCay Award for outstanding contribution to the art of animation. In 2015, he was named a Disney Legend by the Walt Disney Company. Presently, Deja is working on his own independent animated short films and is actively involved in his animation-related blog, Deja View . See less