Mary Coleman

Mary Coleman’s fingerprints are all over some of Pixar’s most recognizable films, and honestly, if you’ve watched animation in the last decade, you’ve probably seen her work without even realizing it. She’s one of those behind-the-scenes folks who help steer the creative ship, and she’s got a knack for wrangling stories that hit you right in the feels. Take Brave, for example—Coleman helped bring Merida’s wild Scottish adventure to life, mixing heart-pounding action with a mother-daughter dynamic that’s way more complicated (and real) than your standard fairy tale. Move forward a few years and you land on Incredibles 2, where she had her hands full making sure the Parr family’s superhero antics didn’t just deliver on action, but also kept the family drama and humor rolling in a way that actually felt fresh. And then there’s Lightyear—yeah, the Buzz Lightyear one. Coleman played a big part in shaping that story, not just tossing in a bunch of space clichés but actually digging into what makes Buzz tick. She’s got this thing for balancing big, blockbuster moments with personal growth and little flashes of vulnerability. You get all the laser-fights and high-flying stuff you want, but there’s always a little emotional gut-punch waiting to sneak up on you. That’s kind of her style: bring the spectacle, but never forget the humans (or toys, or superheroes, or space rangers) at the core. In short, if a Pixar movie’s made you laugh, cry, or text your mom out of nowhere, Mary Coleman probably had something to do with it.