Jennifer Lee (filmmaker) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jennifer Lee
Lee in 2015
Born	Jennifer Michelle Rebecchi (1971-10-22) October 22, 1971 (age 53) Providence, Rhode Island, U.S.
Education	University of New Hampshire (BA) Columbia University (MFA)
Occupation	screenwriter film director film producer playwright
Years active	2004–present
Employer	Walt Disney Animation Studios (2011–present)
Spouse(s)	Robert Joseph Monn ​ ​ (m. 1999, divorced)​ Alfred Molina ​ (m. 2021)​
Children	1
Awards	Academy Award for Best Animated Feature Frozen (2013)

Jennifer Lee is an American filmmaker and writer. She is famous for her work on Disney's Frozen and Frozen 2. She wrote and co-directed both movies. Frozen even won her an Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.

From 2018 to 2024, Jennifer Lee was the chief creative officer (CCO) at Walt Disney Animation Studios. This means she was in charge of all the creative projects there. She was the first woman to hold this important role at Disney Animation. She was also the first woman to direct a feature film for Walt Disney Animation Studios. Plus, she directed two films that each earned over $1 billion!

Jennifer Lee's Early Life

Jennifer Michelle Rebecchi was born on October 22, 1971. Her parents were Linda Lee and Saverio Rebecchi. They lived in Barrington, Rhode Island. After her parents divorced, Jennifer and her older sister, Amy, lived with their mother. They grew up in East Providence, Rhode Island.

Both Jennifer and Amy went to East Providence High School. They also both graduated from the University of New Hampshire. Jennifer earned a bachelor's degree in English in 1992. After college, she moved to New York City. She worked as a graphic artist, designing audiobooks for a company called Random House. As an adult, she started using her mother's maiden name, Lee. In 1995, she legally changed her last name to Lee.

Her Amazing Career in Film

Jennifer Lee went to Columbia University School of the Arts. She earned a special degree in film in 2005. While studying there, she won awards for her screenwriting. She also had her daughter during this time.

In 2011, a former classmate named Phil Johnston asked Jennifer to join him at Disney Animation. She was supposed to help write Wreck-It Ralph for eight weeks. But her temporary job turned into a much longer one!

Creating the Magic of Frozen

After Wreck-It Ralph, Jennifer became involved with Frozen. She started as the screenwriter. Later, she became a director alongside Chris Buck. She helped change the movie from an action-adventure story. She made it more musical and funnier. She worked closely with the songwriters, Robert Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez.

Jennifer found inspiration for Frozen in her own life. She wanted to celebrate "wild and wonderful" girls, like she was as a child. She also thought of her daughter, Agatha. She even used her relationship with her sister, Amy, to create the bond between Anna and Elsa. Jennifer said she was like the "wild, little daydreaming mess" Anna. Her sister Amy was more like the "responsible" Elsa. The story of the two sisters became a huge hit worldwide. Frozen was the highest-earning film with a female director for a while.

Inspiring Others and New Projects

In 2014, Jennifer Lee gave a speech at her old university, the University of New Hampshire. She talked about how she used to doubt herself. She shared how a difficult time in college helped her realize she shouldn't waste time doubting herself. She told the students, "If I learned one thing it is that self-doubt is one of the most destructive forces." She encouraged them to believe in themselves. The university then gave her an honorary degree.

In 2014, Disney announced that Jennifer Lee and Chris Buck would co-direct a short film. It featured the Frozen characters and was called Frozen Fever. It came out in 2015. Jennifer also helped with other Disney films. She received credit for "Creative Leadership" on movies like Big Hero 6 (2014), Zootopia (2016), and Moana (2016). She also helped write the story for Zootopia.

Jennifer also worked on an adaptation of the book A Wrinkle in Time. She loved the book for over 30 years. The movie, based on her script, was released in 2018.

Leading Disney Animation

In June 2018, Jennifer Lee became the chief creative officer (CCO) of Walt Disney Animation Studios. This was a big moment because she was the first woman to lead the studio since it started in 1923. As CCO, she oversaw many projects. She finished overseeing Ralph Breaks the Internet (2018). She also directed and wrote Frozen 2 (2019) with Chris Buck. Frozen 2 became the highest-grossing animated film of all time for a while.

After Frozen 2, Jennifer oversaw the making of many other Disney animated films. These included Raya and the Last Dragon (2021), Encanto (2021), Strange World (2022), Wish (2023), and Moana 2 (2024). She also helped write Wish, which celebrated the history of Walt Disney Animation Studios.

In September 2024, Jennifer Lee announced she was stepping down as CCO. She wanted to return to full-time filmmaking. She plans to direct and write Frozen 3. She will also write and be an executive producer for Frozen 4. Jared Bush took over her role as CCO.

Jennifer Lee's Family Life

Jennifer Lee married Robert Joseph Monn in 1999. They have a daughter named Agatha Lee Monn, who was born in 2003. Agatha even voiced young Anna in the song "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?" in Frozen. Jennifer and Robert later divorced.

In 2019, Jennifer Lee confirmed she was in a relationship with actor Alfred Molina. He was also in Frozen 2. They got married in August 2021. Their friend, actor Jonathan Groff, introduced them and performed the ceremony. They live in California with Jennifer's daughter.

Jennifer Lee's Filmography

Films

Shorts and Series

Other Credits

Awards and Achievements

Jennifer Lee has won many awards for her work. Here are some of her notable achievements:

See also

In Spanish: Jennifer Lee para niños