Fumi Kitahara, who worked on Wallace and Gromit and Shrek, has sadly died following a long battle with cancer, with her family confirming her passing in a statement
TV and film boss Fumi Kitahara has sadly passed away at the age of 56.
She was a publicity executive for the biggest studios in the world, including DreamWorks, Netflix and Disney. Kitahara worked on the first three Shrek films, Wallace & Gromit: The Curse of the Were-Rabbit, How to Train Your Dragon, and Oscar-winning short movies such as The Boy, the Mole, the Fox, and the Horse.
Kitahara sadly died on Monday (February 24) surrounded by family after a long battle with a rare blood cancer. Her family said they were “devastated” as they confirmed news of her passing in a statement.
A tribute read: “Dear Friends of Fumi. We’re devastated to share that our dear Fumi passed away this afternoon, February 24, after her long struggle with a rare blood cancer.
“She was surrounded by the love of her family and close friends. We know many of you will be as heartbroken as we are in saying goodbye to her unforgettable personality, her infectious smile, and her warm and loving heart.
“This is an unimaginable loss for us, our family, and and the animation community. Thank you for the love, support and friendship you have shown her over the years. She meant so much to so many.” The statament was signed: “Simon, Max & the Kitahara Family.”
Legendary Wallace & Gromit creator Nick Park, head of Aardman Studios, paid tribute to Fumi as he shared: “We at Aardman are so very deeply shocked and saddened by the loss of our dear friend and colleague Fumi.
“It’s hard to put into words just how much she will be missed; her years of unrelenting enthusiasm, invaluable support and her eternally generous spirit and friendship will always live on for us. A bright and very precious light has surely gone out in the animation world today.”
Producer Bonnie Arnold, who worked with Fumi and created movies such as Toy Story and Tarzan, also paid tribute. She shared: “I have had the pleasure of working with Fumi for over three decades, from our Disney/Pixar days, through DreamWorks and Locksmith projects…her positive energy and effort in making connections and supporting independent filmmakers within our industry are irreplaceable. She was known and beloved by all and will be sorely missed by our community.”
Fumi began her career at Walt Disney Studios in 1992, where she worked on movies such as The Lion King, TOy STory and Pocahontas. She joined Dreamworks SKG in 1996 and became Head of Animation Publicity for over a decade.
Here, she worked on campaigns for the Oscar-winning Shrek films and The Prince of Egypt. After leaving Dreamworks, she set up her own company and did publicity for features such as the Oscar-winning Pinocchio.
She served as PR Chair for Women in Animation for more than a decade. Women in Animation is setting up the Fumi Kitahara Membership and Scholarship Fund in her memory
Fumi is survived by her director husband Simon Otto, who is head of character animation on the How to Train Your Dragon films, and their son Max.
Want all the biggest Showbiz and TV news straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free Daily Star Showbiz newsletter.
Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk
