Yvett Merino is a film producer who served as a main producer for the film Disney's Encanto. As producer, she won the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature, with Jared Bush, Byron Howard, and Clark Spencer.
Personal life
Merino's grandparents are from Mexico. Her father was a machinist, and her mother was an office manager. She grew up in Norwalk, California, and studied sociology at University of California Santa Barbara. Working as a social worker for a year, she began taking temp placements outside of that role, including at Disney.
Career
Merino began with Disney Animation in the 1990s, expecting to stay for five years.
Merino was a software engineer and technology administration manager for Chicken Little (2005), and promotional support for Meet the Robinsons (2007).
Having worked up through the technology department to the role of administrative manager, Tangled (2010) producer Roy Conli asked her to manage the editing department, which made her a production manager.
She re-enrolled in school, receiving an MBA. She was a production assistant for Wreck-It Ralph (2012). Merino was a production manager and departmental leadership for Big Hero 6 (2014), departmental leadership for Zootopia (2016), production manager for Moana (2016), and studio and creative leadership for Raya and the Last Dragon (2021). Merino joined Encanto two years into development, as it started to transition to production. It is her first film where she is listed as the main producer.
Merino created an employee resource group at Disney called Voces (Voices). Separately, Encanto had a Familia Group, which would meet monthly for lunch to discuss the concept of family.
Filmography
- Encanto (2021) (producer)
- Once Upon a Studio (2023) (producer)
- Moana 2 (2024) (producer)
- Zootopia 2 (2025) (producer)
Awards
- Encanto (2022) (NHMC Impact Awards Gala) (Producer Impact Award)
- Encanto (2022) (Academy Award) (Best Animated Feature Film)
References
- ^ Radish, Christina (17 November 2021). "'Encanto' Producers Yvett Merino and Clark Spencer on the Responsibility of Adding to Disney's Collection of Memorable Characters". Collider. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- ^ Chagollan, Steve (1 December 2021). "Raising Our Voices: How Three Latinas Helped Make Authentic Magic in 'Encanto'". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- Hullender, Tatiana (29 September 2021). "Yvett Merino & Clark Spencer Interview: Encanto". Screenrant. Retrieved 8 February 2022.
- "Event Schedule".
- Gardner, Chris (31 August 2022). "Impact Awards to Honor George and Mayan Lopez, Colman Domingo, Francia Raisa and Yvett Merino". The Hollywood Reporter. The Penske Corporation.
External links
- Yvett Merino at IMDb
| Academy Award for Best Animated Feature | |
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- Living people
- 21st-century American businesspeople
- 21st-century American businesswomen
- People from Norwalk, California
- Film producers from California
- American animated film producers
- American film producers
- American people of Mexican descent
- Walt Disney Animation Studios people
- University of California, Santa Barbara alumni
- Producers who won the Best Animated Feature Academy Award
- American film producer stubs