Chris Wedge facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Chris Wedge
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Wedge in 2014
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John Christian Wedge
March 20, 1957 Binghamton, New York, U.S.
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| Alma mater | State University of New York at Purchase Ohio State University |
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| Years active | 1982–present |
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| Spouse(s) | Jeanne Markel |
| Children | 2 |
| Awards | Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film Bunny (1998) |
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John Christian Wedge, born on March 20, 1957, is an American filmmaker, animator, and voice actor. He is well-known for his work on the science fiction film Tron (1982) as a lead animator. Chris Wedge also helped start the animation studio Blue Sky Studios. He directed the short film Bunny (1998) and popular movies like Ice Age (2002), Robots (2005), and Epic (2013). He won an Academy Award for Bunny and was nominated for Ice Age. Chris Wedge also created and voiced the funny character Scrat in the Ice Age movies.
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Early Life and Education
Chris Wedge was born in Binghamton, New York. When he was a teenager, he lived in Watertown, New York. He became interested in animation at 12 years old after seeing a TV show about kids making cut-out animation. He found it simple and magical.
He went to Fayetteville-Manlius High School and graduated in 1975. He then studied film at State University of New York at Purchase. Later, he earned a master's degree in computer graphics and art education from Ohio State University. He also taught animation in New York City, where he met his future directing partner, Carlos Saldanha.
Amazing Career in Animation
Starting with Tron
In 1982, Chris Wedge worked on the Disney film Tron. He was a main animator, helping to program the scenes. This was one of his first big projects.
Co-founding Blue Sky Studios
Chris Wedge helped create Blue Sky Studios, which became a very famous computer animation studio. He was the Vice President of Creative Development there. Blue Sky Studios made many beloved animated films before it closed in 2021. Chris Wedge also owns his own film company called WedgeWorks.
Directing Hit Movies
In 1998, Chris Wedge won an Academy Award for his short animated film Bunny. This was a big achievement!
He then directed Blue Sky Studios' first computer-animated movie, Ice Age, in 2002. He also helped produce its sequels. In the Ice Age movies, he voices the character Scrat, making all of Scrat's funny squeaks and sounds.
In 2005, Chris Wedge directed Robots, a movie based on a story he helped create. In 2013, he directed Epic, which was inspired by a book.
Other Projects
Chris Wedge also directed the science fiction and action film Monster Trucks in 2016. In 2022, he returned to voice Scrat in a series of short films for Disney+ called Ice Age: Scrat Tales.
In 2023, it was announced that Chris Wedge joined Annapurna Animation. He is set to direct a new animated film there called FOO. This movie will be about the first fish to ever come out of the water and onto land.
Personal Life
Chris Wedge lives in Katonah, New York with his wife, Jeanne Markel. They have two children named Sarah and Jack.
Filmography
Feature Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1982 | Tron | Scene Programmer | Credited as "Christian Wedge" |
| 1996 | Joe's Apartment | Animation Director | |
| 1997 | Alien Resurrection | Creative Supervisor | |
| 2002 | Ice Age | Director, Voice of Dodo/Scrat | |
| 2005 | Robots | Director, Voice of Wonderbot / Phone Booth | |
| 2006 | Ice Age: The Meltdown | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | |
| 2008 | Dr. Seuss' Horton Hears a Who! | Executive Producer | |
| 2009 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | |
| 2011 | Rio | Executive Producer | |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | |
| 2013 | Epic | Director, Story Writer | |
| 2014 | Rio 2 | Executive Producer | |
| 2016 | Ice Age: Collision Course | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | |
| 2016 | Monster Trucks | Director | |
| 2017 | Ferdinand | Executive Producer | |
| 2019 | Spies in Disguise | Executive Producer | Senior Creative Team |
| 2023 | Nimona | Special Thanks | Blue Sky Studios |
| TBA | FOO | Director |
Short Films
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1998 | Bunny | Director, Writer | |
| 2002 | Gone Nutty | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | |
| 2005 | Aunt Fanny's Tour of Booty | Executive Producer, Voice of Hacky | |
| 2006 | No Time for Nuts | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | |
| 2008 | Surviving Sid | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | |
| 2010 | Scrat's Continental Crack-Up | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | Teaser for Ice Age: Continental Drift |
| 2011 | Scrat's Continental Crack-Up Part 2 | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | Teaser for Ice Age: Continental Drift |
| 2015 | Cosmic Scrat-tastrophe | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | Extended Teaser for Ice Age: Collision Course |
| 2022 | Ice Age: Scrat Tales | Voice of Scrat | Disney+ Original Short Films |
Television Shows and Specials
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Family Guy | Voice of Scrat | Episode: "Sibling Rivalry" |
| 2011 | Ice Age: A Mammoth Christmas | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | Television Special |
| 2015 | The Simpsons | Voice of Scrat | Episode: "Treehouse of Horror XXVI" |
| 2016 | Ice Age: The Great Egg-Scapade | Executive Producer, Voice of Scrat | Television Special |
Video Games
| Year | Title | Voice Role |
|---|---|---|
| 2006 | Ice Age 2: The Meltdown | Scrat |
| 2009 | Ice Age: Dawn of the Dinosaurs | Scrat |
| 2012 | Ice Age: Continental Drift - Arctic Games | Scrat |
| 2015 | Ice Age Avalanche | Scrat |
| 2019 | Ice Age: Scrat's Nutty Adventure | Scrat |
Awards and Nominations
Chris Wedge has won several awards for his work:
- In 1999, he won an Academy Award for his short film Bunny.
- He also won awards at the Drama International Short Film Festival and Nashville Film Festival for Bunny.
- In 2003, Ice Age was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.
- He received the Animation Director of the Year award at the ShoWest Convention in 2003.
See also
In Spanish: Chris Wedge para niños
