Cynthia Wells

Cynthia Wells is an American animated film maker, artist and triathlete.

Early life and education Wells, born , was raised in California. In the 1980s, she studied at the California Institute of Arts (CalArts).

Work

Wells has worked as a character animator, initially at Disney, and later at Warner Bros. and other studios. She was the first woman to be nominated for an Annie Award for her own 1994 animated short film Interview with Tallulah, Queen of the Universe. A follow-up, The Shadow of Doubt, which she produced with her husband, was made in 2001. Both films feature the same main character, the jazz singer Talullah. Their company, The Digital Theater Group, recruited more than a hundred people to work on the film.

Her work includes the films The Fox and the Hound (1981), Space Jam (1996), Anastasia (1997) and Quest for Camelot (1998). She also worked on Ziggy's Gift (1982) and David Macaulay: Roman City (1994), both of which won Emmy-awards. She has worked with commercials and taught at CalArts.

As of 2023, she is an independent illustrator and artist.

Triathlon

Wells started running in her 50s, and competed in the New York City Marathon and New York City Half Marathon. She then switched to triathlon, and completed her first at North Fork of Long Island in 2017. She has continued to participate in the event, the Jamesport Triathlon, and has finished second in her age-group.