Rob Minkoff

Robert R. "Rob" Minkoff, born on August 11, 1962, in Palo Alto, California, is a prominent American director renowned for his contributions to the animation industry, most notably as the director of the Academy Award-winning film The Lion King (1994). A graduate of the California Institute of the Arts, where he specialized in Character Animation during the early 1980s, Minkoff has had a distinguished career at Walt Disney Feature Animation.

In addition to The Lion King, Minkoff directed several other significant works, including the Roger Rabbit shorts Tummy Trouble (1989) and Roller Coaster Rabbit (1990). He also penned the song "Good Company" for the animated feature Oliver & Company. His directorial portfolio extends to live-action films such as Stuart Little (1999), Stuart Little 2 (2002), The Haunted Mansion (2003), and The Forbidden Kingdom (2008).

Beyond his filmmaking, Minkoff is actively involved in the film community as a jury member for the New York International Children's Film Festival, which highlights films for young audiences aged 3 to 18. Currently, he is working on two upcoming projects, including Flypaper, slated for release in 2011, and an announced film titled Chinese Odyssey. Minkoff married Crystal Kung on September 29, 2007, and he is also the brother-in-law of Chinese artist Jeffrey Kung.