Animation director and producer Mike Roberts died Wednesday, November 11, at the age of 48, following a brief battle with glioblastoma, Animation Magazine reported.
The news was shared on Facebook by friend and colleague Aubry Mintz, Executive Director of ASIFA-Hollywood and animation professor at Cal State Long Group, who said that Roberts passed away peacefully at home beside his wife, actress Bree Williamson.
What Friends and Colleagues Remember About Mike Roberts
- Roberts passed away at age 48 following a brief battle with glioblastoma after a career spanning Toronto, New York, London, and Los Angeles.
- He worked on prominent projects including Dallas & Robo, TripTank, Hot Wheels: Let’s Race, and BoJack Horseman.
- Colleagues remembered him as an innovator who combined traditional and digital media and lived by Chuck Jones’ mantra that art is never finished, only abandoned.
Career Across Toronto, London, and Los Angeles
Michael John Roberts was born December 20, 1977, in Toronto, where he initially aspired to become a comic-book artist. He later pivoted to animation after being inspired by the lightning bolt effects on the DeLorean in Back to the Future, as he shared in a 2021 interview with The Hollywood Reporter.
He studied animation at Sheridan College in Ontario before building a diverse career across Toronto, New York, London, and Los Angeles. Over the decades, his credits expanded to include directing commercials for Honda, KFC, and Burger King, alongside animating on series such as Angela Anaconda, The Hoobs, and Tales of Rat Fink.
Roberts Created and Directed Various Animation Projects
Roberts built a prolific resume across television, streaming, and music videos. His notable projects include creating the YouTube Red series Dallas & Robo and co-creating and directing all episodes of Comedy Central’s TripTank.
He also served as creative producer for the Mattel kids hit Hot Wheels: Let’s Race, executive producer and showrunner on Masters of the Universe: Tales from Eternia, supervising director for Final Space and Strange Planet, and creator of the opening sequences for BoJack Horseman and the reboot of Clone High.
| Project | Role | Platform / Network |
|---|---|---|
| Dallas & Robo | Creator | YouTube Red |
| TripTank | Co-creator / Director | Comedy Central |
| Hot Wheels: Let’s Race | Creative Producer | Mattel / Streaming |
| Masters of the Universe: Tales from Eternia | Executive Producer / Showrunner | Television / Streaming |
| Clone High (Reboot) | Opening Sequence Creator | Television |
Innovation in Digital Puppetry and Animation Technique
Colleagues highlighted Roberts’ dedication to pushing technical boundaries within the medium. Mintz shared details of their late-night interactions regarding animation technology in a tribute posted to social media.
“Mike found a way to stay incredibly nice and positive even when having twist and turns in his own career and life. You would never find Mike resting on his laurels — I would often get late night texts from him to check his new animation tests as he innovated by combining traditional and digital media,” Mintz wrote.
Mintz added that Roberts was among the first to utilize IK puppets in his animation, developing a distinct personal style that was subsequently replicated across the industry. Describing him as a visionary, Mintz said that Roberts operated by the classic Chuck Jones mantra that art is never finished, only abandoned.
Roberts Is Survived by Family and Loved Ones
In addition to his wife, Bree Williamson, Roberts is survived by their teenage son McGreggor, his sister Jane, niece Gwen, nephew Vaughan, parents Teddy and Wendy, and a close cousin named Hrothgar, his wife Emily, and their children Evie and Lili.
“Michael saw the world a little differently. A gifted artist with an extraordinary talent, he could find something worth exploring in what others might overlook,” the artist’s obituary read.
