Phillip Bradley "Brad" Bird (born September 24, 1957) is an American film director, producer, screenwriter, and actor, who began his career as an animator.Bird developed a love for the art of animation at an early age and was mentored by Milt Kahl, one of Disney's legendary Nine Old Men. He was part of one of the earliest graduating classes of the California Institute of the Arts alongside John Lasseter and Tim Burton.