# Conrad Vernon

Conrad Vernon (born July 11, 1968) is an American director, producer, writer, storyboard artist and voice actor, best known for his work on the DreamWorks animated film series Shrek as well as other films such as Monsters vs. Aliens, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted, and Penguins of Madagascar. He also co-directed non-DreamWorks animated films such as Sony Pictures' Sausage Party and MGM's The Addams Family.

## Life and career

Conrad Vernon was born on July 11, 1968, a native of Lubbock, Texas, studied at CalArts and worked as a storyboard artist for animated productions (including Ralph Bakshi's Cool World); he also directed Morto the Magician (a four-minute animated film written by Steve Martin).
Vernon began his career in 1991. In 1996, he joined DreamWorks, where he worked as a storyboard artist on Antz. After Antz proved a success as the first animated feature film to be produced by DreamWorks Animation, Vernon signed on as a writer for Shrek, where he was responsible for the Gingerbread Man, and eventually voiced that character. He also appeared in Shrek 4-D and Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas.
In June 2004, he made his feature film directorial debut with the Academy Award-nominated Shrek 2. He voiced Mason the chimpanzee for the DreamWorks Animation films Madagascar, Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa, Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted (for which he is also credited as director) and its spin off Penguins of Madagascar (where he voiced Rico, one of the penguins) and reprised the voice of Mason in the television series.
In 2009, Vernon and Rob Letterman co-directed the 3D animated film Monsters vs. Aliens, which he co-wrote and supplied several voices.
Vernon and Greg Tiernan co-directed the adult animated comedy Sausage Party (2016), from a story by Seth Rogen, Evan Goldberg, and Jonah Hill, as well as providing some of the voices. Vernon next co-produced and co-directed, again with Tiernan, an animated version of The Addams Family, which was released in October 2019. He supplied voice roles for both Sausage Party and The Addams Family, including Lurch in the latter. He was scheduled to return as director alongside Tiernan for The Addams Family 2, released in October 2021. In October 2020, it was announced that he would no longer be involved as director, though he ultimately received co-billing with Tiernan.
In 2017, Vernon was hired to direct a live-action feature adaptation of The Jetsons, from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman, which is being made by Warner Bros., under its Warner Animation Group banner.

## Filmography
### Film

| Year | Title | Director | Producer | Notes |
| 2001 | Morto the Magician | Yes | No | Short film |
| 2004 | Shrek 2 | Yes | No | Co-director with Andrew Adamson and Kelly Asbury |
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens | Yes | No | Co-director with Rob Letterman |
| 2012 | Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted | Yes | No | Co-director with Eric Darnell and Tom McGrath |
| 2016 | Sausage Party | Yes | Yes | Co-director with Greg Tiernan |
| 2019 | The Addams Family | Yes | Yes | Co-director with Greg Tiernan |
| 2021 | The Addams Family 2 | Yes | Yes | Co-director with Greg Tiernan |
| 2026 | Shrek 5 | Yes | No | Co-director with Walt Dohrn |
| TBA | The Jetsons | Yes | No | |

#### Acting roles

| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
| 1999 | Herd | Pesion | Live-action role |
| 2001 | Shrek | Gingerbread Man | |
| 2001 | Shrek in the Swamp Karaoke Dance Party | Gingerbread Man | Short film |
| 2003 | Shrek 4-D | Gingerbread Man | |
| 2003 | Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas | Jed | |
| 2004 | Shrek 2 | Gingerbread Man, Cedric, Announcer, Mongo, Muffin Man | |
| 2004 | Far Far Away Idol | Gingerbread Man | Short film |
| 2005 | Madagascar | Mason | |
| 2005 | The Barnyard (pitch) | | |
| 2006 | Flushed Away | Take Out | |
| 2007 | Shrek the Third | Gingerbread Man, Rumpelstiltskin, Headless Horseman | |
| 2007 | Bee Movie | Freddy | |
| 2008 | Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa | Mason | |
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens | Advisor Hawk, Advisor Dither, Minister, Secret Service Man #2, Mama Dietl | |
| 2010 | Shrek Forever After | Gingerbread Man, Muffin Man | |
| 2011 | Kung Fu Panda 2 | Boar | |
| 2011 | Puss in Boots | Raoul | |
| 2012 | Madagascar 3: Europe's Most Wanted | Mason | |
| 2014 | Penguins of Madagascar | Rico | |
| 2016 | Sausage Party | Toilet paper, Sauerkraut, Grape, Catcall sausage, Beer can, Pop bottle | |
| 2017 | The Boss Baby | Eugene Francis | |
| 2017 | The Emoji Movie | Trojan Horse | |
| 2019 | Trouble | Otis | |
| 2019 | The Addams Family | Lurch, Priest, Spirit of the House, Dr. Flambe, Ggerri | |
| 2021 | The Addams Family 2 | Lurch, Spirit of the House | |
| 2022 | Puss in Boots: The Last Wish | Gingerbread Man | |

#### Other credits

| Year | Title | Role |
| 1991 | No Neck Joe | Special thanks |
| 1992 | Cool World | Character designer Effects animator |
| 1998 | Antz | Storyboard artist |
| 2000 | The Road to El Dorado | Additional storyboard artist |
| 2001 | Shrek | Additional dialogue/story artist/writer: "Merry Men" |
| 2001 | The Human Spinning-Top | Writer of episode XII "The Human Spinning-Top is a dangerous hero" And Additional storyboard artist |
| 2003 | Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas | Additional storyboard artist |
| 2004 | Shark Tale | Additional storyboard artist |
| 2004 | Shrek 2 | Additional dialogue |
| 2005 | Madagascar | Creative consultant |
| 2005 | The Madagascar Penguins in a Christmas Caper | Creative consultant; Short film |
| 2006 | Over the Hedge | Story artist |
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens | Story writer |
| 2016 | Trolls | Additional story artist |
| 2017 | Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie | Special thanks |
| 2017 | The Emoji Movie | Additional sequence director |
| 2019 | The Addams Family | Story writer |

### Television

| Year | Title | Notes |
| 1993 | Rocko's Modern Life | Storyboard artist, additional writer |
| 1993–94 | 2 Stupid Dogs | Storyboard artist |
| 1993–96 | The Itsy Bitsy Spider | Director |
| 1996 | Dexter's Laboratory | Storyboard artist, layout artist |
| 1997 | Nightmare Ned | Storyboard artist |
| 2012 | The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Executive Producer, storyboard artist |
| 2024–present | Rock Paper Scissors | Executive Producer |
| 2024–present | Sausage Party: Foodtopia | Director |
| 2025–present | Wylde Pak | Executive Producer |

#### Acting roles

| Year | Title | Role |
| 2007 | Shrek the Halls | Gingerbread Man |
| 2009–12 | The Penguins of Madagascar | Mason |
| 2009 | Monsters vs. Aliens: Mutant Pumpkins from Outer Space | Man on Cell, Woman |
| 2010 | Scared Shrekless | Gingerbread Man, Muffin Man |
| 2010 | Kung Fu Panda Holiday Special | Boar |
| 2012 | The High Fructose Adventures of Annoying Orange | Various |
| 2012 | Gravity Falls | Tate McGucket |