Joaquim Dos Santos is one of the most influential and successful animators of his generation. Even if you’re not immediately familiar with his name, you’re no doubt familiar with a series or film he’s worked on.

The 46-year-old Portuguese American director’s filmography is studded with contributions to some of the most highly acclaimed animated shows of the 21st century, from episodes of Justice League Unlimited and Avatar: The Last Airbender to executive producing series like The Legend of Korra and Voltron: Legendary Defender. That’s not even mentioning what is easily his greatest professional accomplishment to date: co-directing Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, the 2023 follow-up to the Oscar-winning animated superhero film.