Variety’s 10 Animators to Watch Event Returns to Los Angeles on July 9

Variety will once again celebrate the next wave of animation trailblazers at its annual 10 Animators to Watch event on July 9 in Los Angeles. The evening, presented by Nickelodeon, will spotlight this year’s rising stars in animation whose work is shaping the future of storytelling across film, television, and streaming.

The celebration follows the release of Variety’s annual 10 Animators to Watch feature, publishing on Wednesday, July 9, which dives into the creative journeys of these standout talents and previews the exciting projects they have on the horizon.

This year’s event and issue will also honor Chris Miller with the 2025 Creative Impact in Animation Award. Known for his visionary work on beloved titles like “Puss in Boots” and “Shrek the Third,” Miller continues to push boundaries in animation. His latest film, the highly anticipated “Smurfs,” opens July 18.

“We’re so excited to team up with Variety again to honor the incredible artists and storytellers who continue to redefine the landscape of animation and push our amazing industry forward,” said Ramsey Naito, President, Paramount Animation and Nickelodeon Animation. “This year feels extra special as we kick off the summer of Smurfs by spotlighting two of our own — Kasey Fagerquist and Margaret Wuller — whose artistry landed them a place on Variety’s prestigious 10 Animators to Watch list. We’re equally honored to celebrate our incredible director Chris Miller whose inspired direction and hilarious take on Grumpy Smurf brought Peyo’s beloved characters to life by capturing the heart and spirit of the original drawings while making something totally new. Thank you, Variety, for your continued partnership in championing the magic of animation, and congratulations to all the honorees.”

This year’s 10 Animators to Watch are:

• Brooke Shay Bradford – Animation Supervisor, DreamWorks Animation
• Kasey Fagerquist – Story Artist, “Smurfs”
• Juston Gordon-Montgomery – Creator, “Invincible Fight Girl”
• Todd Harris – Showrunner, “Eyes of Wakanda”
• Meg Park – Art Director, Characters, Walt Disney Animation Studios
• CJ Sarachene – Head of Character Animation, “Gabby’s Dollhouse: The Movie”
• Cristina Sotta – Supervising Director, “Batman: Caped Crusader”
• Alon Winterstein – Animation Supervisor, Pixar Animation Studios
• Daniel Lim Ti Yan – Lead Animator, DNEG Animation
• Kirill Yeretsky – Co-Founder & Creative Director, Tomato Beach