After nearly two decades inside the "Despicable Me" universe, Pierre Coffin might be forgiven for wanting an exit. But the French animator—who's co-directed four of the franchise's six films and voices the Minions themselves—found himself returning to what is now the highest-grossing animated franchise of all time, having earned five point five billion dollars worldwide. In an interview with Variety, Coffin reflects on the demanding work: the exhaustion of providing distinctive voices for the yellow creatures, balanced against the creative satisfaction of crafting comedy he describes as "more irreverent than some of the competition." As he moves forward with new projects, Coffin's story is one of unexpected longevity—proof that sometimes the character you think you've outgrown becomes the defining achievement of your career.

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