The man who painted Bambi's soul survived Angel Island and Hollywood's racism.
The unlikely story of 106-year old Chinese American artist Tyrus Wong, and how he overcame poverty and racism in America to become a celebrated modernist painter, Hollywood sketch artist, and “Disney Legend” for his groundbreaking work on the classic animated film, Bambi.
Cinematography
His ethereal kites finally getting their close-up.
Production
Archival Disney art that history almost threw away.
Writing
Reframing 'Bambi' as Asian American art—finally.
Director
Pamela Tom
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Tyrus was detained at Angel Island under the Chinese Exclusion Act—same era he would later define Disney's visual identity.
Those sweeping Bambi backgrounds? Tyrus did them in his 20s, unpaid as 'in-between' staff, then got demoted. The 'Disney Legend' title came 65 years later.
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