Andrew Gunn, perhaps best known for his work on Disney classics like “Freaky Friday” and “Sky High”, passed away at age 58 after a brave battle with ALS.
The “Cruella” producer passed away at his home in Toronto, his family announced on Monday, March 2, according to The Hollywood Reporter.
Andrew Gunn Had a Storied Career
Gunn was a legendary producer who, in the early 2000s, had a first-look deal with Disney. At the time, the studio was run by chairman Dick Cook and president Nina Jacobson.
Gunn had an eye for successful films, including the 2003 comedy remake “Freaky Friday.”
“We made movies with genuine creative exuberance at that time and Andrew never had any shortage of that,” Jacobson said, per THR. “On ‘Freaky Friday’, we were able to make a decision on a creative instinct and not by asking an algorithm on who to cast.”
Annette Bening, Michelle Trachtenberg and Tom Selleck were originally cast for the film, but the studio was forced to pivot when Trachtenberg had to pull out due to obligations for her show “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” Ultimately, Jamie Lee Curtis and Lindsay Lohan were cast.
Curtis, Lohan and Gunn reunited for the long-awaited sequel, “Freakier Friday,” last year.
“The best part was my daughter worked in the camera department and got into the (cinematographers) union and my son worked in props. So I got to see them every day,” he told The Hollywood Reporter in 2025. “I can’t express what that meant to me.”
Other notable films Gunn produced include “The Country Bears,” “The Haunted Mansion,” “College Road Trip,” “Bedtime Stories,” “Race to Witch Mountain,” and “Sky High.”
Andrew Gunn Battled ALS
Gunn was diagnosed with ALS in 2024—the same disease that took the life of beloved “Grey’s Anatomy” star Eric Dane on February 19—according to The Hollywood Reporter.
“You believed in me before any other producer,” “The Greatest Showman” producer Michael Gracey wrote a 2025 letter to Gunn after learning of his ALS diagnosis, the outlet reported. “You saw something in me, supported it and fought by my side to get our film as far as we did. For me, you are the one and only example of a producer that truly backs their director, and it’s an experience I haven’t had since.”
Tributes Poured In Following Gunn’s Passing
Fans and friends shared their condolences after news of Gunn’s passing began to spread.
“Wow, how sad. he had a good eye for movies,” one fan wrote via X.
“Thanks for help to create the 2000’s pop culture, Mr Gunn,” another added.
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