EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND – At the dinner that opened the recent press junket for “Brave” in Edinburgh, John Lasseter, Chief Creative Officer for Walt Disney and Pixar Animation Studio, made a huge sartorial sacrifice on behalf of his companies’ newest venture.
Lasseter stood up and greeted a room of press and luminaries from the film without the Hawaii shirts that have been his trademark for years. Befitting the bagpipers that led us into the hall, the haggis on the menu and, of course, “Brave” itself, Lasseter was fully decked out in a kilt.
Less than 12 hours later, sitting at the Balmoral Hotel, Lasseter was back in his Hawaiian finery for interviews. After all, he’s been chatting with reporters in Hawaiian shirts through 12 Pixar films and by any imaginable standard, the Hawaiian shirts and Pixar have done pretty well together.
As has been mentioned previously, “Brave” is the 13th Pixar feature and the first toplined by a female character. In our conversation, Lasseter discusses that milestone, talks about the tribute to the late Steve Jobs that comes at the top of the closing credits and talks in a quick circle around my question about a Pixar/Marvel team-up.
By now, you’ve had the chance to watch my interviews with the charming Kelly Macdonald and the spirited Kevin McKidd. plus my interesting and energetic chat with director Mark Andrews and producer Katherine Sarafian. I’m thinking my humiliating archery video will go up on Saturday.
“Brave” opens on Friday, June 22.