The movie producer for Angry Birds is a native Michigander and lives in Hollywood!
John Cohen is back in town visiting family.
"I produced 'Despicable Me,' executive produced a movie called 'Hop,' was at 20th Century Fox for years."
You may not recognize his name, but you definitely know Cohen's movies!
He produced animated flicks... many Box Office hits.
"Always loved animation. I've been an animation fan since I was very, very little," he said. "I was drawing little flip books in school and out of school, any where I can find paper."
John grew up in West Bloomfield and at an early age he knew he wanted to make movies.
He was featured in a local newspaper as Michigan's youngest filmmaker.
"Always felt like I could do it. Like I would have some way of getting to be a part of movies or TV."
He says creating movies is a labor of love but the payoff is seeing others enjoy his work. "You sit in a theater with audiences and you hear them laughing from beginning to end in all the places you laughed for so long, that is the most satisfying thing in the world," he continued. "Those things are when you stop yourself and pinch yourself."
John has been living in Los Angeles for the past 16 years, but visits Michigan a few times a year with his wife and daughter.
He credits family, friends and teachers from Cranbrook Schools.
"Doug Cooper and Dr. Jeff Welch were two teachers that meant the world to me," he added. "Thanks to people that believed in me and never thought that my passion and my weird little dreams were silly."
Proving to Michiganders, big dreams can end up on the big screen.
