Oscar-Winning Pixar Animator Ralph Eggleston Passes Away at 56

Ralph Eggleston, an award-winning, long-time Pixar animator passed away at the age of 56. He began working with Pixar in 1992, during the production of Toy Story, the studio’s first computer-animated feature.

Eggleston worked as an art director in Toy Story, which went on to become one of the most-loved animated films of all time. After that, he worked with Pixar for 30 years.

The Pixar animator served as an art director in several iconic Pixar films such as The Incredibles, A Bug’s Life, Toy Story, and Cars. He also worked in character and production design in Ratatouille, WALL-E, Up, and others. He remained an integral part of the Pixar team and was affectionately called “Eggman” by his colleagues.

Besides working on several animated features, Ralph also wrote and directed the Pixar short film For the Birds, which was screened ahead of Monsters Inc. in 2001. He went on to win the Academy Award for Best Animated Short for the film in 2002.

Throughout his illustrious career, Eggleston has been the recipient of several prestigious awards. He has won two Annie Awards for WALL-E, Inside Out, and Toy Story. In 2019, he was awarded the Winsor McKay Award for his lifetime achievements.

As per Deadline, Eggleston passed away on August 28 at the age of 56 after fighting a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He breathed his last in Lake Charles, Los Angeles.

To honor his contribution, Pixar shared a beautiful behind-the-scenes image of Eggleston at work on their official Twitter handle. Check out the post below.

Many of Ralph’s fellow animators and colleagues took to social media to grieve their loss. Eggleston’s loss will remain irreparable for his colleagues, the animation community, and the numerous fans of his impressive work.

He was an integral part of some of the most beloved animated films of all time and had an immense contribution to Pixar’s stellar success over the years. His legacy will be honored for generations to come, through his work.