Jorge R. Gutierrez facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Jorge R. Gutierrez
Gutierrez at the 2014 San Diego Comic-Con
Born	(1975-01-25) January 25, 1975 (age 50) Mexico City, Mexico
Alma mater	California Institute of the Arts (BFA, MFA)
Occupation	Animator writer producer director voice actor
Years active	1998–present
Known for	El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera The Book of Life Maya and the Three
Spouse(s)	Sandra Equihua ​ (m. 2001)​
Children	1

Jorge R. Gutierrez (born January 25, 1975) is a Mexican artist who creates amazing animated worlds. He is a talented animator, writer, director, and even a voice actor. You might know him as the creator of the TV show El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera and the director of the colorful movie The Book of Life. He also created the epic Netflix series Maya and the Three.

Early Life and Education

Jorge R. Gutierrez was born in Mexico City in 1975 and grew up in Tijuana, a city right on the border with the United States. Growing up, he fell in love with Mexican pop and folk culture. This love for his culture shines through in all of his cartoons, movies, and paintings.

For college, Gutierrez moved to the United States to study at the famous California Institute of the Arts (CalArts). There, he learned all about animation. For one of his school projects, he created a 3D animated short film called Carmelo. It was so good that it won a Student Emmy Award in 2001! This was a huge first step in his career.

Career in Animation

First Steps in Television

After college, Gutierrez started working on many popular animated shows. He was a character designer, which means he helped create the look of the characters. He worked on shows like Nickelodeon's ChalkZone, Kids' WB's ¡Mucha Lucha!, and Disney's The Buzz on Maggie.

He also worked as a writer for shows like Maya & Miguel and Brandy & Mr. Whiskers. This experience helped him learn how to tell great stories for television.

Creating El Tigre

In 2007, Gutierrez and his wife, Sandra Equihua, created their own animated series for Nickelodeon called El Tigre: The Adventures of Manny Rivera. The show is about a boy who can choose to be a superhero or a supervillain. The show's unique style was based on Mexican art and culture.

El Tigre was a big hit and won several awards. Gutierrez and Equihua both won Emmy Awards for their amazing character designs on the show.

Directing The Book of Life

Gutierrez's biggest dream was to direct a movie. In 2014, that dream came true with The Book of Life. The movie is a love story set during the Mexican holiday, the Day of the Dead. It is famous for its beautiful animation, which looks like it's made of wooden puppets.

The Book of Life was loved by audiences and critics. It was nominated for a Golden Globe Award for Best Animated Feature Film. The movie showed the world how beautiful and exciting Mexican culture can be.

Working with Netflix

After the success of The Book of Life, Gutierrez began working with Netflix. In 2021, he created Maya and the Three, a nine-part animated series. The story is an adventure inspired by ancient Mesoamerican myths about a brave princess who must save the world. The series won many awards for its writing, music, and art.

He also directed a music video for the series We the People about immigration. Gutierrez had other projects planned with Netflix, but some, like Kung-Fu Space Punch and a movie called I, Chihuahua, were canceled.

Personal Life

Gutierrez is married to Sandra Equihua, who is also a talented artist and his partner on many projects. They have one son. After his son was diagnosed with autism, Gutierrez learned that he is also autistic.

Selected Works

Here are some of the most famous movies and TV shows Jorge R. Gutierrez has worked on.

Film

Television

See also

In Spanish: Jorge R. Gutiérrez para niños