Introduction
Andreas Deja (born 1 April 1957), is an animator for Walt Disney Animation Studios most noted for creating feature film characters such as Hercules from Hercules, Jafar from Aladdin, and Gaston from Beauty and the Beast. Deja is a recipient of the Winsor McCay Award.
History
Andreas Deja was born 1957 in Gdańsk, Poland. Deja moved with his family to Dinslaken, Germany in 1958. Deja credits his first seeing Disney's Jungle Book when he was 11-years-old with inspiring him to become an animator. After graduating from Theodor-Heuss Gymnasium (secondary school), he studied graphic design at the Folkwang Hochschule in Essen, Germany. A lifelong fan of Disney animated films, Deja was hired by the studio in 1980 after he had corresponded with Eric Larson. The first film on which he worked was The Black Cauldron, during which time he shared a cubicle with the film director Tim Burton.
During his rookie days at Disney, Deja sought mentorship and practical advice from seven of the then-living Nine Old Men (who were already retired before his tenure). On an interview with Clay Katis on the Animation Podcast, Deja stated that if the podcast needed anything on the Nine Old Men, to refer to him because of the vast amount of information he has collected over the years. He later revealed that one of his ambitions is to publish one book for each of the Nine Old Men.
Work
Deja´s first credited work for Disney was some of the animation for Gurgi in the movie The Black. Cauldron.
He later got the assignment to animate some of the most memorable Disney villains like Gaston from Beauty and the Beast, Jafar from Aladdin and Scar from The Lion King, but he has also animated the main character from Hercules and Lilo from Lilo and Stitch.
His latest works includes Mama Odie and Juju from The Princess and the Frog and he is currently animating Tigger in the 2011 movie Winnie the Pooh.
He is also the one who is in charge of animating Mickey Mouse.
My Opinion
He is in my opinion a master at bringing villains to life and i have to say that his villains are some of my favorites not only from Disney but as a whole.
I hope you have enjoyed this and please let me know what you think.
Characters he has animated or worked on:
The Lion King
