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Oscar Winner Jonas Rivera Named Executive VP Film Production at Pixar

After joining the animation house as its first intern, the ‘Inside Out’ and ‘Toy Story 4’ producer will now oversee all studio film and streaming content production.

Jonas Rivera, Oscar-winning producer of Inside Out and Toy Story 4, was promoted to Pixar’s executive VP film production, according to The Hollywood Reporter and confirmed by the studio.   His new responsibilities include overseeing all studio film and streaming content production; producers, associate producers, and directors will now report to Rivera regarding operational issues.

Hailing from Castro Valley, California, Rivera graduated from San Francisco State University with a degree in film production.  He became Pixar’s first production intern when he was hired in 1994 to work on Toy Story.  Rivera steadily assumed greater responsibility, working on A Bug’s Life (1998) as art department coordinator; Toy Story 2 (1999) as marketing and creative resources coordinator; Monsters, Inc. (2001) as art department manager; and Cars (2006) as production manager.

In 2009 Rivera produced the Oscar nominated Up, which was followed by his Oscar-winning work producing Inside Out in 2015, and Toy Story 4 in 2020.  Among his numerous other awards, he was honored by the Producers Guild as Producer of the Year in Animated Features three times for his work on Up, Inside Out, and Toy Story 4.

Rivera also sits on Disney CEO Bob Chapek’s DE&I Council (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion), a global group of senior leaders across the company, whose mission is to accelerate the company’s DEI progress, drive results, and advocate for creative solutions that support their business goals.

Rivera is currently overseeing the latest Pixar feature films Elemental, slated for June 16, 2023 as well as Elio and Inside Out 2, releasing in 2024.

Whitney Whitener's picture

Whitney is a freelance writer focusing on VFX-driven fantasy film & TV as well as preschool animation.