Who directed Inside Out?

Inside Out was directed by Pete Docter. He also co-wrote the screenplay with Meg LeFauve and Josh Cooley and helped shape the film’s story about a child navigating major emotional change.

Docter developed the idea after observing his daughter’s personality change as she grew older. That observation led him to imagine emotions as characters inside a child’s mind, turning an invisible psychological process into a visual adventure. Pixar’s story team then developed Headquarters, the memory system, and Riley’s personality islands.

Docter was already a major Pixar creative figure before Inside Out. He directed Monsters, Inc. and Up, two films known for combining imaginative worlds with emotionally serious themes. Inside Out continued that approach by using colorful animation and comedy to explore sadness, family disruption, identity, and emotional maturity.

The other names in the answer choices are also associated with Pixar, which can cause confusion. Lee Unkrich directed Toy Story 3 and Coco, Andrew Stanton directed Finding Nemo and WALL-E, and John Lasseter directed Toy Story. None directed the original Inside Out. The film premiered in 2015 and was produced by Pixar for Walt Disney Pictures.