 Returning to Walt Disney Feature Animation, he began work on "The Great Mouse Detective" (1986) as an assistant animator, but eventually joined the story department, where he was reunited with former CalArts classmate, Gary Trousdale.After working as storyboard artists on "The Rescuers Down Under" and "The Prince and the Pauper", Wise and Trousdale were responsible for helming the celebrated "Beauty and the Beast" (1991), the first animated feature to be nominated for an Academy Award for Best Picture.Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise have cast certain actors in more than one of their films.