Rachel Zegler enchants the new Netflix film “Spellbound” as the voice of Princess Ellian, a teenage royal with a fierce mission: break the curse that has transformed her parents into monsters.
But for Zegler, the film’s heart lies far beyond fantasy.
At the movie’s New York premiere earlier this month, Zegler talked about how “Spellbound” will inspire parents to have more open conversations with their children.
“The ability to talk to one another is so important. It could be life or death in some situations,” Zegler told Variety at the Paris Theater. “So I really think that this movie isn’t just for kids; it’s also for the parents, and that’s really amazing.”
Yet the communication between Zegler and her A-list castmates — including Nicole Kidman, Javier Bardem, and John Lithgow — was sparse. Most recorded their lines solo, an industry norm accelerated by the pandemic.
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In the midst of filming “Dune: Part Two,” Bardem recorded his “Spellbound” lines in Budapest, voicing King Solon opposite Nicole Kidman’s Queen Ellesmere. Though the “Being the Ricardos” co-stars didn’t meet in the studio, Bardem eagerly expressed his desire to work with Kidman again, describing her as “a great colleague” and “easy” to work with.
“We knew of each other’s processes,” Bardem said about coordinating with Kidman. “We were hearing what the other was doing, and we were trying to match each other with what the other person was doing.”
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“Spellbound,” a tale of resilience and transformation, is the first project under Skydance’s multi-year partnership with Netflix, signifying a shift in the animation distribution landscape. Under the leadership of Pixar vet John Lasseter, Skydance has assembled top industry talent, including Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”) to direct “Spellbound.”
“I love working with Skydance,” Jenson said. “Everyone there is so committed to telling stories that are special and original, and really giving the time and resources to do them right. They’re not just ‘let’s let it go’ at all.”
“Spellbound” was being developed by several other key players including Paramount and Apple TV+ before landing at Netflix. Jensen praised Netflix as the only major studio “brave enough” to cast “Spellbound” into the world, citing one pivotal (and spoiler-heavy) storyline revolving around complex family dynamics.
“I think they were nervous about the subject matter — of what this family is going through,” Jensen said. “While the other people we approached to bring the movie forward understood it, they wondered, ‘How are we going to market it?’ And it’s like, ‘Well, you know, this is the world we live in, you’ve got to figure it out.’”
What’s next for Skydance Animation? Nathan Greno’s (“Tangled”) body-swap comedy “Pookoo” in 2025, Brad Bird’s (“The Incredibles”) hand-drawn feature “Ray Gunn” in 2026 — and perhaps — a second “Spellbound” film.
“That would be amazing,” Jensen said about the possibility of a sequel. “I can’t help but think about it, but let’s see how people like it.”
“Spellbound” begins streaming on Netflix on November 22.
See more photos from the “Spellbound” premiere below.
