**Henry Selick** (born 1952) is an acclaimed American director and animator, a pivotal figure in stop-motion animation. He is most renowned for *The Nightmare Before Christmas* (1993), which he directed – though often mistakenly attributed to Tim Burton, who served as producer and concept creator.

He followed up with the Roald Dahl adaptation *James and the Giant Peach* (1996). His masterpiece is considered to be *Coraline* (2009), an Academy Award nominee known for its unsettling aesthetic and complex narrative. More recently, he directed *Wendell & Wild* (2022).

Selick's style is characterized by gothic and surreal atmospheres, a richly detailed visual aesthetic, and singular characters, often with a macabre and dark touch. His films explore themes such as isolation, the search for one's place in the world, and childhood fears, elevating stop-motion to a true art form.