Adrian Molina

Last updated
Adrian Molina
Adrian Molina 2017.jpg
Born (1985-08-23) August 23, 1985 (age 38)
Alma mater California Institute of the Arts
Occupations
  • Screenwriter
  • storyboard artist
  • animator
Years active2006–present
Employer Pixar Animation Studios (2007–present)
Spouse
Ryan Dooley
(m. 2011)

Adrian Molina (born August 23, 1985) is an American animator, storyboard artist and screenwriter who works for Pixar. He co-wrote the screenplay and story of Coco (2017), which he also co-directed. He will make his solo directorial debut with the upcoming film Elio (2025), which he also wrote. [1] [2]

Contents

Early life and education

Molina was born in Yuba City, California to a Mexican family, and raised in Grass Valley, and he graduated from Bear River High School in 2003, to subsequently attend and graduate from the California Institute of the Arts in 2007. [3]

Career

Molina has joined at Pixar since 2007, where he started as a 2D animator on Ratatouille . He later moved on to be a storyboard artist, working on Toy Story 3 and Monsters University . [3] Molina also illustrated the Little Golden Book for Toy Story 3. [4] After writing for The Good Dinosaur , Molina started his first assignment as a screenwriter, for Coco , and later went on to co-direct the film. He also wrote serveral lyrics for the film. [3] [5] [6]

Following the success of Coco and the D23 Expo announcement in September 2022, Molina was announced to write and direct the upcoming feature film Elio , which he will make his solo directorial debut, set to release on June 13, 2025. [7] [1] [8] [2]

Personal life

Molina is openly gay. He has been married to Ryan Dooley since 2011. [9]

Filmography

YearTitle Director Writer Executive
Producer
Story
Artist
Other Voice Notes
2007 Ratatouille NoNoNoNoYesAnimator: End Titles
2010 Toy Story 3 NoNoNoYesNo
2013 Monsters University NoNoNoYesYesAdditional Screenplay Material
Opening Title Designer and Director
2015 The Good Dinosaur NoNoNoNoYesAdditional Screenplay Material
2017 Coco Co-DirectorYesNoNoYesAdditional VoicesSongwriter
2019 Toy Story 4 NoNoNoNoYesPixar Senior Creative Team
2020 Onward NoNoNoNoYes
Soul NoNoNoNoYes
2021 Luca NoNoNoNoYesAdditional Story Contributions
Pixar Senior Creative Team
2022 Turning Red NoNoAssociateNoYesPixar Senior Creative Team
Lightyear NoNoNoNoYes
2023 Elemental NoNoNoNoYes
2024 Inside Out 2 NoNoNoNoYes
2025 Elio YesYesNoNoYes

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References

  1. 1 2 Meyer, Joshua (September 9, 2022). "Disney Announces New Pixar Sci-Fi Adventure Comedy, Elio[D23]". /Film . Archived from the original on October 2, 2022. Retrieved December 8, 2022.
  2. 1 2 McClintock, Pamela (27 October 2023). "Disney Delays 'Snow White' and 'Elio' a Year, Removes Jonathan Majors' 'Magazine Dreams' From Calendar". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 27 October 2023.
  3. 1 2 3 "'Coco's Mexican-American Co-Director Adrian Molina Reveals Origins of Pixar's Día de Muertos Film".
  4. Spring Into Action! (Disney/Pixar Toy Story 3) by Annie Auerbach | PenguinRandomHouse.com.
  5. "Pixar Coco plot details revealed | EW.com". Entertainment Weekly . Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  6. Robinson, Joanna. "Pixar's Coco Is a "Love Letter to Mexico" When It's Needed Most". HWD. Retrieved 2016-12-07.
  7. "'Elio': Pixar Sets New Pic About 11-Year-Old Boy Beamed Into Space; America Ferrera Stars & 'Coco's Adrian Molina Directs". Deadline Hollywood . September 9, 2022. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  8. Trench, Mikael (June 20, 2023). "Pixar's Elio - Everything You Need To Know". Looper . Retrieved August 27, 2023. The aforementioned director Adrian Molina is currently the only credited writer for Pixar's Elio.
  9. Crispim, Fabio (June 30, 2018). "'Coco' co-director Adrian Molina is 'all for' an LGBT Pixar film". attitude . Retrieved June 30, 2018.