Lynne Southerland's journey to Los Angeles was marked by a singular focus on realizing her childhood dreams of creating captivating narratives. With a career that began in live-action, she worked on notable projects such as THROWMOMMA FROM THE TRAIN, THE NAKED GUN, and SISTER ACT 2.
However, a serendipitous encounter would soon redirect her path, introducing her to the world of animation as a producer, director, and developer of content. As the demand for more diverse storytelling perspectives grew, Lynne joined forces with other trailblazers-of-color to create groundbreaking projects such as BEBE'S KIDS for Paramount Pictures, featuring a predominantly black cast, and the acclaimed HBO series HAPPILY EVER AFTER: FAIRYTALES FOR EVERY CHILD, which offered a multicultural retelling of the Grimm fairytales.
As a producer, Lynne's talents as a storyteller opened doors to new opportunities, including co-directing MULAN 2, making her the first African-American female director of an animated feature. Through this project and others, Lynne's love of adventure and travel was satiated, as she collaborated with overseas studios in Japan, Australia, Israel, and Hong Kong.
In addition to her directing work, Lynne has also consulted for Disney's Direct-To-DVD division and Animation Lab, an Israeli-based studio. Recently, she brought her unique perspective to the show-running role for animated content on Mattel's Monster High and Enchantimals brands.
When not working on these exciting projects, Lynne has been writing two fiction manuscripts aimed at the middle grade and young adult audiences, which are currently being shopped by her literary agent.
