| Michael Rianda | |
| Birth Name: | Michael Rianda |
| Birth Date: | 17 June 1984 |
| Birth Place: | Salinas, California, U.S. |
| Alma Mater: | California Institute of the Arts (BFA) |
| Credits: | The Mitchells vs. the Machines |
| Years Active: | 2008–present |
Michael Rianda (born June 17, 1984) is an American cartoonist, director, screenwriter, and voice actor. He is known for his work on Gravity Falls as a creative director and writer for season 1, and creative consultant for season 2. He is also known for directing, co-writing, and co-starring his feature directorial debut The Mitchells vs. the Machines (2021), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Animated Feature.[1] [2] [3] [4]
Rianda was born on June 17, 1984, in Salinas, California. He attended the California Institute of the Arts after he "drew and said amusing things" in school, studying character animation. Rianda also started writing and directing two short films at the animation school titled Everybody Dies in 90 Seconds (2008) and Work (2010).[5]
He became a creative director and writer on the Emmy Award-winning Disney Channel animated television series Gravity Falls until his departure in 2013. Mike also voiced Lee, Thompson, Mr. Poolcheck, and additional voices. Rianda later returned and served as a creative consultant for its second season.
In 2021, he directed and co-wrote, along with Jeff Rowe, The Mitchells vs. the Machines,[6] in which he also voiced Aaron Mitchell. The film was released on Netflix on April 30, 2021.
| Year | Title | Director | Writer | Other | Voice | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | The Mitchells vs. the Machines | Aaron Mitchell / Talking Dog / Furbies / Wi-Fi Enthusiast | ||||
| 2023 | Ezekiel Sims / Spider-Therapist
| Production consultant[7] | ||||
| Wants a Paycheck Goon / Chop Shop Boss / Ratatouille Guard |
| Year | Title | Writer | Other | Voice | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012–2016 | Gravity Falls | Lee, Thompson, Mr. Poolcheck, Additional Voices | Creative director (season 1) Creative consultant (season 2) | |||
| 2021 | Inside Job | Consultant (episode: "Unpresidented") | ||||
| 2022 | Amphibia | Special thanks (episode: "The Hardest Thing") |