James Baxter is an award-winning character animator whose work has shaped some of the most beloved animated films and television series of the past four decades. Renowned for his expressive draftsmanship and mastery of performance through movement, Baxter has animated some of animation’s most iconic characters, including Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Rafiki in The Lion King, Quasimodo in The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and the title character in Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron. His work has also appeared in films including The Prince of Egypt, Kung Fu Panda, How to Train Your Dragon, and Enchanted, among many others.

Throughout his career, Baxter has held creative and leadership roles at Walt Disney Feature Animation, DreamWorks Animation, and Netflix Animation, where he currently serves as vice president of animation. Working across both hand-drawn and computer animation, he has helped shape performances in some of the medium’s most recognizable films while also teaching and mentoring artists throughout the industry. His contributions to animation can also be seen in Adventure Time, where the recurring character James Baxter the Horse was created as a tribute to the animator.

Baxter will share stories from his four decades in animation and discuss the craft of character performance, offering a behind-the-scenes look at how movement, emotion, and storytelling come together to create memorable animated characters.

With support from the Ann Arbor District Library.

Series presenting partners: Detroit PBS, ALL ARTS, and PBS Books. Media partner: Michigan Public.