Jennifer Lee

Jennifer Lee is an Academy Award-winning American screenwriter and director who made history at Walt Disney Animation Studios. Raised in Rhode Island, she pursued an English degree at the University of New Hampshire before earning her Master of Fine Arts from the Columbia University School of the Arts. Initially working in live-action film, she entered the animation industry when she co-wrote the screenplay for Disney's hit feature Wreck-It Ralph (2012). Her breakout success came with the global phenomenon Frozen (2013), which she wrote and co-directed. The film earned her an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, making her the first female director of a feature-length Disney animated film. She went on to write and co-direct the record-breaking sequel, Frozen 2 (2019). Through these films, she became the first female director to have two separate projects gross over $1 billion at the global box office. In 2018, Lee was appointed Chief Creative Officer (CCO) of Walt Disney Animation Studios, overseeing the creative output of the legendary studio for six years. During her leadership tenure, she also served as an executive producer or writer on major projects like Zootopia (2016), Moana (2016), and Wish (2023). In late 2024, she stepped down from her executive role to return to full-time filmmaking, focusing on writing and directing the upcoming Frozen sequels. In her personal life, Lee has one daughter, Agatha, from a previous marriage. In August 2021, she married acclaimed actor Alfred Molina in a ceremony officiated by their mutual friend and Frozen cast member, Jonathan Groff.