Brad Ableson

Writer / Director

Birthdate – September 2, 1975 (49 Years Old)

Birthplace – Los Angeles County, California, USA

Brad Ableson (birthname: Bradley Evan Ableson) is a director of feature animated films produced by Illumination Entertainment, including Minions: The Rise of Gru (2022), with the voices of Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin, Taraji P. Henson, and Michelle Yeoh. Ableson began as a story artist on The Simpsons, continuing in this department with The Simpsons Movie (2007).

Ableson was co-creator of MTV’s animated Good Vibes (2011) and Comedy Central’s animated high school basketball series, Legends of Chamberlain Heights (2017). He has taught animation at USC’s School of Cinematic Arts, Gnomon School of Visual Effects, and Santa Monica-based Academy of Entertainment & Technology.   

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Personal Details

Los Angeles-born Brad Ableson studied animation at the USC School of Cinematic Arts. His USC-made animated black-and-white short, My Ding-A-Ling (1996), won an Emmy Award and earned him an animation job on the production team of The Simpsons. His net worth is $14 million.

Filmography

Minions: The Rise of Gru

Director(co-directed by) (2022)

Despicable Me 4

Additional Voice (2024)

Awards

Nominee, Best Storyboarding, Annie Awards (2015); Winner, Animated Short, Emmy Awards (1996).