Katana VentraIP

Kelly Asbury

Kelly Adam Asbury (January 15, 1960 – June 26, 2020) was an American film director, writer, voice actor, and illustrator. He was best known for directing animated films, including Shrek 2, Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron, Gnomeo & Juliet, Smurfs: The Lost Village, and UglyDolls.

Kelly Asbury

Kelly Adam Asbury

(1960-01-15)January 15, 1960
Beaumont, Texas, U.S.

June 26, 2020(2020-06-26) (aged 60)

Encino, California, U.S.

Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills

Lamar University California Institute of the Arts

Film director, writer, voice actor, illustrator

1982–2019

Walt Disney Animation Studios (1983–1995, 2009–2013)
DreamWorks Animation (1995–2009)

Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron
Shrek 2
Gnomeo & Juliet
Smurfs: The Lost Village
UglyDolls

Loretta Weeks
​
​
(m. 1990; div. 2006)​
Jacquie Boggs
​
(m. 2011)​

1

Early life[edit]

Asbury was born on January 15, 1960, in Beaumont, Texas, the son of Josephine Margaret (Lebeouf) and Donald Leslie Asbury. His father Donald died from cancer when Asbury was 12.[1] He attended Lamar University for two years before transferring to the renowned California Institute of the Arts in 1980, where he studied animation and filmmaking.[2]

– In 1997, Asbury was tapped to make his directorial debut with a film adaptation of the children's book Shrek! alongside Andrew Adamson. He dropped out a year later in favor of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron and was replaced by Vicky Jenson, but remained as a story artist and received special thanks on the finished film. He later co-directed its sequel, Shrek 2.

Shrek

– In 2006, following the success of Shrek 2, Asbury was hired to write and direct a live-action film based on Clive Barker’s children's book The Thief of Always. The film would've been Asbury's first foray into live-action filmmaking, but the rights would revert to Barker.[8]

The Thief of Always

– In 2011, Asbury was brought in by Sony Pictures Animation to write a new draft for a film adaptation of the Pooch Café comic strip.[9][10]

Pooch Café

– In 2011, following the success of Gnomeo and Juliet, Asbury was hired by Rocket Pictures to write and direct a live-action/animated film based on the children's book Will Gallows and the Snake-Bellied Troll. The film would've been Asbury's first foray into live-action filmmaking after his attempt at “The Thief of Always” failed.[11]

Will Gallows and the Snake-Bellied Troll

Kazorn & The Unicorn – In 2012, reported that Asbury was in talks with Sony Pictures Animation to make an animated fantasy film titled Kazorn & The Unicorn. It would have followed the adventures of a young man and a unicorn as he seeks to locate a powerful weapon and prove his worth to his true love. Lloyd Taylor was writing the screenplay. Sam Raimi, Josh Donen, and Russell Hollander were producing the film.[12] Troy Quane (Spies in Disguise, Nimona) was later hired to co-direct the film with Asbury, but the film has since been put on hold.[13]

Deadline

Horacio 3D – In 2013, Asbury was tapped to write a Brazilian animated film based on the character Horacio, originally scheduled for a 2017 release. According to animator Fábio Mendes, Asbury was intended to direct the film.[14] But as of 2020, nothing has come from the project.[15]

Monica's Gang

Death[edit]

Asbury died of abdominal cancer on June 26, 2020, in his home, Encino, Los Angeles, at age 60. He was buried at Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Hollywood Hills.[16][17] He was featured in the In Memoriam section of the 93rd Academy Awards, and Spirit Untamed was dedicated to his memory.

Animated Views: Gnomeo & Juliet’s director Kelly Asbury Opens His Secret Garden!

at IMDb

Kelly Asbury